Processable cyanate ester resin from Cis resveratrol

Trans resveratrol isomerizes to cis resveratrol (cRes) with ultra-violet light and undergoes cyanation to the new compound cRes tricyanate (2). Monomer 2 polymerizes to a polycyanurate that is remarkably stable to heat with a glass transition temperature > 350 °C and char yield of 73% in air up to 600 °C. The monomer 2 melts at <80 °C with a wide processing window before polymerization. The new thermosetting resin made from a natural product is a useful matrix material for polymer matrix composites requiring high-performance characteristics. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 971–980