Biocatalysis for terpene-based polymers

Accelerated generation of bio-based materials is vital to replace current synthetic polymers obtained from petroleum with more sustainable options. However, many building blocks available from renewable resources mainly contain unreactive carbon-carbon bonds, which obstructs their efficient polymerization. Herein, we highlight the potential of applying biocatalysis to afford tailored functionalization of the inert carbocyclic core of multicyclic terpenes toward advanced materials. As a showcase, we unlock the inherent monomer reactivity of norcamphor, a bicyclic ketone used as a monoterpene model system in this study, to afford polyesters with unprecedented backbones. The efficiencies of the chemical and enzymatic Baeyer-Villiger transformation in generating key lactone intermediates are compared. The concepts discussed herein are widely applicable for the valorization of terpenes and other cyclic building blocks using chemoenzymatic strategies.