Polyphosphoramidates That Undergo Acid-Triggered Backbone Degradation

ACS Macro Lett. 2017 Mar 21;6(3):219-223. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.6b00966. Epub 2017 Feb 16.

Abstract

The direct and facile synthesis of polyphosphoramidates (PPAs) with acid-labile phosphoramidate backbone linkages are reported, together with demonstration of their hydrolytic degradability, evaluated under acidic conditions. The introduction of acid-labile linkages along the polymer backbone led to rapid degradation of the polymer backbone dependent upon the environmental stimuli. An oxazaphospholidine monomer bearing a phosphoramidate linkage was designed and synthesized to afford the PPAs via organobase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization in a controlled manner. The hydrolytic degradation of the PPAs was studied, revealing breakdown of the polymer backbone through cleavage of the phosphoramidate linkages under acidic conditions.