Functional Degradable Polymers by Radical Ring-Opening Copolymerization of MDO and Vinyl Bromobutanoate: Synthesis, Degradability and Post-Polymerization Modification

Biomacromolecules. 2015 Jul 13;16(7):2049-58. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b00476. Epub 2015 Jun 9.

Abstract

The synthesis of vinyl bromobutanoate (VBr), a new vinyl acetate monomer derivative obtained by the palladium-catalyzed vinyl exchange reaction between vinyl acetate (VAc) and 4-bromobutyric acid is reported. The homopolymerization of this new monomer using the RAFT/MADIX polymerization technique leads to the formation of novel well-defined and controlled polymers containing pendent bromine functional groups able to be modified via postpolymerization modification. Furthermore, the copolymerization of vinyl bromobutanoate with 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (MDO) was also performed to deliver a range of novel functional degradable copolymers, poly(MDO-co-VBr). The copolymer composition was shown to be able to be tuned to vary the amount of ester repeat units in the polymer backbone, and hence determine the degradability, while maintaining a control of the final copolymers' molar masses. The addition of functionalities via simple postpolymerization modifications such as azidation and the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a PEG alkyne to an azide is also reported and proven by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEC analyses. These studies enable the formation of a novel class of hydrophilic functional degradable copolymers using versatile radical polymerization methods.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / chemical synthesis*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Cycloaddition Reaction
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oxepins / chemistry*
  • Polymerization
  • Vinyl Compounds / chemistry

Substances

  • 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Oxepins
  • Vinyl Compounds
  • vinyl acetate