Scheme 2. (a) Lactide Polymerization Coinitiated by Carbohydrates; (b) Copolymerization of Lactone Derived from D-Gluconolactone and ε-Caprolactone (CL) Scheme 3. Polyesters Based on Pentitols and Pentaric Acid Scheme 4. Protein-Resistant Polyesters Based on Galactitol and D-Mannitol Scheme 5. Polyesters Based on L-Tartaric Acid Derivatives Scheme 6. PBS Copolyesters Based on L-Tartaric Acid Derivatives Scheme 7. Erythritol-Based Polyesters Containing Triazol Rings

2,4:3,5-Di-O-methylene-D-mannitol, abbreviated as Manx, is a D-mannitol-derived compound with the secondary hydroxyl groups acetalized with formaldehyde. The bicyclic structure of Manx consists of two fused 1,3-dioxane rings, with two primary hydroxyl groups standing free for reaction. A homopolyester made of Manx and dimethyl terephthalate as well as a set of copolyesters of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) in which 1,4-butanediol was replaced by Manx up to 50% were synthesized and characterized. The polyesters had M w in the 30 000−52 000 g mol −1 range and a random microstructure and were thermally stable up to nearly 370°C. They displayed outstanding high T g with values from 55 to 137°C which steadily increased with the content in Manx. Copolyesters containing up to 40% of Manx were semicrystalline and adopted the crystal structure of PBT. Their stress− strain parameters were sensitively affected by the presence of carbohydrate-based units with elongation at break decreasing but tensile strength and elastic moduli steadily increasing with the degree of replacement.

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