Pentyl esters of furandicarboxylic acid as softeners

1. A mixture of isomeric furandicarboxylic acid pentyl esters.

2. The mixture according to claim 1 , wherein the esters of furandicarboxylic acid comprise a dipentyl ester.

3. The mixture according to claim 1 , wherein the esters of furandicarboxylic acid have at least one of the following properties:

a density at 20° C. of not more than 1.06 g/cm 3 ,

an intrinsic viscosity at 25° C. of not more than 60 mPa·s; and

no melting signal at temperatures >25° C. when analysed with a differential calorimeter.

4. The mixture according to claim 3 , wherein the esters of furandicarboxylic acid have at least two of the properties.

5. A composition comprising a pentyl ester, which is the mixture according to claim 1 .

6. A plasticizer or a plasticizer composition, comprising the mixture according to claim 1 .

7. The plasticizer or the plasticizer composition according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises a dipentyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate.

8. The plasticizer or the plasticizer composition according to claim 6 , comprising at least two isomeric dipentyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylates.

9. The plasticizer or the plasticizer composition according to claim 8 , wherein none of the at least two isomeric dipentyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylates has a proportion of more than 99.9% by weight in the ester mixture.

10. The plasticizer or the plasticizer composition according to claim 8 , wherein the isomeric pentyl groups are selected from the group consisting of n-pentyl, 2-pentyl, 3-pentyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 3-methylbut-2-yl, and 2-methylbut-2-yl.

11. The plasticizer composition according to claim 6 , further comprising: a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of an alkyl benzoate, a dialkyl adipate, a glyceryl ester, a trialkyl citrate, an acylated trialkyl citrate, a trialkyl mellitate, a glycol dibenzoate, a dialkyl terephthalate, a dialkyl phthalate, a dialkanoyl ester of isosorbide, and a dialkyl ester of 1,2-, 1,3- or 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid.

12. A process for preparing the mixture according to claim 1 , comprising:

a) mixing a furandicarboxylic acid, a derivative thereof, or both with a mixture of isomeric pentanols, thereby obtaining a reaction mixture; and

b) heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of >50° C. and esterifying or transesterifying while removing at least one low molecular weight substance from the reaction mixture, thereby obtaining the mixture.

13. A process for preparing the mixture according to claim 1 , comprising:

a) mixing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, at least one furan derivative, or both with a mixture of isomeric pentanols, at least one catalyst, and at least one oxygen-comprising component, thereby obtaining a reaction mixture; and

b) adjusting the reaction mixture to a temperature of >0° C. and conducting an oxidative esterification, thereby obtaining the mixture.

14. A polymer composition comprising the mixture according to claim 1 .

15. The polymer composition according to claim 14 , further comprising: a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), a polyacrylate, a fluoropolymer, polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a polyvinyl acetal, a polystyrene polymer, a polyolefin, polyethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), a polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyamide (PA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyurethane (PU), a polysulphide (PSu), a biopolymer, polyhydroxybutyral (PHB), polyhydroxyvaleric acid (PHV), a polyester, starch, cellulose, a cellulose derivative, rubber, a silicone, and a mixture or a copolymer thereof.

16. The polymer composition according to claim 14 , wherein the mixture is present in an amount of 5 to 200 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer composition.

17. The polymer composition according to claim 14 , further comprising: a copolymer of vinyl chloride with one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of vinylidene chloride, vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl benzoate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate and butyl acrylate.

18. A moulding or a film comprising the polymer composition according claim 14 .

19. The moulding or the film according to claim 18 , wherein the film or moulding is a floor covering, a wall covering, a hose, a profile, a roofing sheet, a sealing sheet, a cable or wire sheath, a tarpaulin, an advertising banner, synthetic leather, packaging film, a medical article, a toy, a seal, or a furnishing article.