Within the context of a study on the preparation and the characterizat
ion of polyurethanes based on suberin, as a polyol, and conventional p
olyisocyanates, it was deemed necessary to carry out a preliminary stu
dy on the reactivity of the hydroxy functions of suberin. Aliphatic an
d aromatic mono- and di-isocyanates were tested and the kinetics of th
is system followed the classical second order up to conversions of abo
ut 85%. The influence of the steric hindrance and the electronic facto
rs, linked to the specific structures of both types of isocyanates, wa
s established. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.