Nitrogen‐Containing Polymers Derived from Terpenes: Possibilities and Limitations
Résumé
Abstract Nitrogen‐containing polymers are widely applied materials, including polyamides, polyurethanes, and polyureas as well as epoxy thermosets. Their indispensability and the urgent need to replace fossil‐based polymers considering more sustainable alternatives lead to significant efforts in exploring renewable feedstock as potential new building blocks. Being obtained from non‐edible plant parts and often occurring as waste products, terpenes represent a promising group of renewable compounds that are of possible interest in the synthesis of nitrogen‐containing polymers. The structural diversity of terpenes in combination with the mechanical properties that nitrogen‐containing moieties bring into polymers can give rise to novel biobased materials that outstand mechanical and thermal properties of conventional fossil‐based counterparts. In this review, an overview of the use of terpene compounds in the synthesis of nitrogen‐containing polymers is given, covering different approaches to make use of terpenes as a valuable pool of renewable monomers.