This project focuses on the formation of renewable lactone monomers from different biomass
derived sources. Some key monomers investigated in this
project are the lactones obtained by Baeyer Villiger oxidation of
different substituted cyclohexanones, using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant and
the Lewis acidic silicalite Sn-Beta as heterogeneous catalyst. This kind of
monomers can then be used for ring opening polymerisation for the production of
renewable polyesters. Another block of lactones studied are those formed from
diacid platform molecules such as succinic acid using different kinds of
metallic supported nanoparticles.