AN APPROACH TO SYNTHESIZE POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)-b-POLY(ε-CAPROLACTONE) WITH TERMINAL AMINO GROUP via SCHIFF’S BASE AS AN INITIATOR

A new method to synthesize a degradable terminal amino group-containing copolymer,poly(ethylene glycol)-b- poly(ε-caprolactone)(MPEG-PCL-NH_2),was developed in the following three steps:(1)the ring-opening polymerization (ROP)ofε-caprolactone from the Schiff base prepared from benzatdehyde and ethanolamine(Ph-CH=NCH_2CH_2OH)used as an initiator to obtain heterobifunctional poly(ε-caprolactone)with one terminal Schiff base group and one hydroxyl group (HO-PCL-CH_2CH_2N=CH-Ph);(2)the coupling reaction of two reactive precursors,a hydroxy-terminated HO-PCL- CH_2CH_2N=CH-Ph andα-monocarboxy-ω-monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)(CMPEG)to synthesize MPEG-PCL- CH_2CH_2N=CH-Ph;(3)the conversion of the -N=CH-Ph end-group into NH_2 end-group by acidification of acetic acid to obtain MPEG-PCL-NH_2.The structures from the precursors to the terminal amino group-containing copolymer were confirmed by ~1H-NMR and their molecular weights were measured by gel permeation chromatography.The amphiphilic terminal amino group-containing copolymer could self-assemble into micelles in an aqueous system with PCL block as the core and PEG block as the shell.The micelle formation of the terminal amino group-containing block copolymer was studied by fluorescent probe technique and the existence of critical micellar concentration(cmc)confirmed the amphiphilic nature of the resulting copolymer.ESEM and DLS analysis of the micelles revealed a homogeneous spherical morphology and a unimodal size distribution.     

Synthesis of novel biodegradable poly(ethylene glycol) analogue:Water-soluble aliphatic polyester with pendant oligo(ethylene glycol) chains

A novel poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) analogue composed of aliphatic polyester backbone and pendant oligo(ethylene glycol) short chains is reported.The PEG analogue is a copolymer synthesized by ring-opening alternating copolymerization of succinic anhydride with 2-((2-(2-metho xyethoxy)ethoxy)methyl)oxirane.The structure of the copolymer was confirmed by ~1H NMR spectrum.The effects of the monomer feed ratio on the copolymerization were studied and the polymerization mechanism was given.The PEG analogue di...     

Metal-free synthesis of amphiphilic functional polycarbonates

Amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(5-benzyloxy trimethylene carbonate)(PBTMC) and poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) were synthesized through enzymatic polymerization using immobilized porcine pancreas lipase(IPPL).The obtained copolymers with different compositions were characterized by GPC and ~1H NMR.The copolymer composition was in agreement with the feed ratio. The molecular weight of the copolymers showed an increasing trend with the decrease of PEG contents.Micelles of the copolymers were formed by dialysis procedure,and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

Block Copolymer Networks Composed of Poly(ε-caprolactone) and Polyethylene with Triple Shape Memory Properties

In this contribution, we reported a novel synthesis of block copolymer networks composed of poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL) and polyethylene(PE) via the co-hydrolysis and condensation of α,ω-ditriethoxylsilane-terminated PCL and PE telechelics. First, α,ω-dihydroxylterminated PCL and PE telechelics were synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and the ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctene followed by hydrogenation of polycyclooctene. Both α,ω-ditriethoxylsilane-terminated PCL and PE telechelics were obtained via in situ reaction of α,ω-dihydroxyl-terminated PCL and PE telechelics with 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane. The formation of networks was evidenced by the solubility and rheological tests. It was found that the block copolymer networks were microphase-separated. The PCL and PE blocks still preserved the crystallinity. Owing to the formation of crosslinked networks, the materials displayed shape memory properties. More importantly, the combination of PCL with PE resulted that the block copolymer networks had the triple shape memory properties, which can be triggered with the melting and crystallization of PCL and PE blocks. The results reported in this work demonstrated that triple shape memory polymers could be prepared via the formation of block copolymer networks.     

SYNTHESES OF STYRENE-METHYL METHACRYLATE BLOCK COPOLYMER BY POLYAZOAMIDE AS INITIATOR

Polyazoamide(PAA) was used as initiator to prepare block copolymer P(MMA-b-St) byfree radical polymerization. The fraction of block copolymer was about 50%. The structureof the block-copolymer was characterized by IR and the results of ~1H-NMR and GPCshowed that the content of the block and the molecular weight (M_w) of the prepolymerand block copolymer could be controlled by varying the mol ratio of styrene/PAA andMMA/prepolymer. DSC and TEM results revealed that the block copolymer has twoseparated glass transition temperatures and phase separation within the domain structure.     

Incorporation of Lysine-Containing Copolymer with Polyurethane Affording Biomaterial with Specific Adsorption of Plasminogen

A novel biomaterial based on polyurethane (PU) was prepared through physical incorporation of lysine-containing copolymer to improve its hemocompatibility and surface recognition of plasminogen.The lysine-containing copolymer was synthesized via the copolymerization of 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA),oligo (ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA) and 6-tert-butoxycarbonyl amino-2-(2-methyl-acryloylamino)-hexanoic acid tert-butyl ester (Lys(P)MA),followed by the deprotection of COOH and ε-NH2 groups on lysine residues in the copolymer.The composition of the copolymer can be adjusted by varying the monomer feed ratio.The three components contribute to improving the compatibility with PU,resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption and specific binding of plasminogen,respectively.The binding capacity towards plasminogen increased with the lysine content in the copolymer.This approach illustrates a simple way for the generation of novel biomaterials with improved hemocompatibility and surface recognition of specific biomolecules.     

Metal-flee synthesis of amphiphilic functional polycarhonates

Amphiphilic block copolymers of poly（5-benzyloxy trimethylene carbonate） （PBTMC） and poly（ethylene glycol） （PEG） were synthesized through enzymatic polymerization using immobilized porcine pancreas lipase （IPPL）. The obtained copolymers with different compositions were characterized by GPC and IH NMR. The copolymer composition was in agreement with the feed ratio. The molecular weight of the copolymers showed an increasing trend with the decrease of PEG contents. MiceUes of the copolymers were formed by dialysis procedure, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）.     

Adsorption Isotherms of Quercetin and Catechin Compounds on Quercetin-MIP

A molecular imprinted polymer(MIP)was prepared with quercetin as the template and methacrylic acid(MAA)as the functional monomer.Acetonitrile and methanol were used as the porogen with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate(EGDMA)as the crosslinker and 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile)(AIBN)as the initiator.The experimental parameters of the equilibrium isotherms were estimated via linear and nonlinear regression analyses.The linear equation as the functions of the adsorption concentration of the single compound in its solution and the competitive adsorption of the single compound in its mixed compounds solution was then expressed,and the adsorption equilibrium data were correlated to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models.The mixture compounds show competitive adsorption on the specific binding sites of quercetin-MIP.Furthermore,the competitive Langmuir isotherms were applied to the mixture compounds.The adsorption concentrations of quercetin,( )catechin( C),and(-)epicatechin(EC)on the quercetin molecular imprinted polymer were compared.The quercetin-imprinted polymer shows extraordinarily higher adsorption ability for quercetin than for the two catechin compounds that were also assessed.     

SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL BLOCK COPOLYMERS OF POLY(3-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID)WITH POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)THROUGH ANIONIC POLYMERISATION

A novel kind of copolymer with ABA-type block structure was synthesized by anionic ring-openingpolymerization of β-butyrolactone (β-BL) in the presence of a PEG-based dicarboxylates as macroinitiators which wereprepared by the esterification of aliphatic cyclic anhydride and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) oligomers (M_n=2000, 4000 and6000) and conversion of potassium dicarboxylates. The resultant copolymers as well as the intermediates were characterizedby IR,~1H-NMR and GPC.     

Fabrication of Macroporous Protein-containing Films through the Reverse Emulsions Approach Featuring β-Cyclodextrin-conjugated PEG-PLGA Copolymers

A series of β-cyclodextrin-conjugated 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(4-arm PEG-PLGA)copolymers were synthesized by a ring-opening polymerization of D,L-lactide and glycolide using 4-arm PEG as initiator,and then conjugated with mono(6-ethylenediamine-6-deoxy)- β-cyclodextrin(CDen) or ethylenediamino-bridged bis- β-CD(BCDen). The chemical structures of copolymers were confirmed by ~1H-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The β-CD-conjugated PEG-PLGA formed stable reverse micelles due to the formation of β-CD and bovine serum albumin(BSA) inclusion complexation, which could accommodate BSA in the organic solvent with improved encapsulation efficiency. Moreover, we demonstrated a one-step approach to construct macroporous protein-containing films using these reverse micelles. The films with ordered pore arrays were directly prepared from reverse micelles. Interestingly, the protein was totally located in the whole matrix except for the pores.     

Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable materials： PDLLA-（MAh-Diol）n-PDLLA copolymer

The novel biodegradable copolymer PDLLA-(MAH-Diol)_n-PDLLAwith unsaturated bond was synthesized by copolymerizing lactide and prepolymer, which was prepared by the polycondensation of maleic anhydride and poly(ethylene glycol), using p- toluene sulphonic acid as catalyst. The new copolymer has improved hydrophilicity and fexibility. The structure and properties of the novel polymers were studied by FTIR, NMR, GPC-MALLS and DSC.     

Design, synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable macrodiols based on poly（DL-lactic acid） and poly（p-dioxanone）

Integrating poly(lactic acid)(PLA),glycolic acid(GA) and ethylene glycol(EG) will hopefully result in a novel copolymer that combines such advantages as fastened and controllable release rate and improved flexibility together with good biocompatibility.In this study,p-dioxanone(PDO) was employed to copolymerize with DL-lactide(LA) via ring-opening melt polymerization using Sn(Oct)_2 as an initiator and ethylene glycol as a co-initiator.The obtained degradable macrodiols(HO-P(LA-co-PDO)-OH) were just such...     

Studies on the synthesis and properties of malachite green imprinted polymer

A new molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized with malachite green (MG) as molecular template, methacrylic acid (MAA) as functional monomer, ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) as crosslinker, and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. Recognition properties of the MG imprinted polymer were studied by equilibrium adsorption and HPLC. The results showed that the imprinted polymer had good affinity and marked selectivity for MG, and can separate MG with its analogue commendably. The new polymer can be used for the enrichment of MG in complex sample, and can work as separation media to separate and detect MG by HPLC.     

POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYLENE METHYL PHOSPHATE IN THE PRESENCE OF SODIUM POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)ATE*

Poly(ethylene methyl phosphate)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ethylene methyl phosphate) triblockcopolymers carrying hydroxyl group at both chain ends were synthesized with sodium poly(ethyleneglycol)ate as initiator. The effects of the factors such as solvent, amount of the initiator and reaction timewere investigated. The copolymers were characterized by IR, ~1H-NMR, ~1H{~(31)P}-NMR, ~(13)C-NMR, ~(31)P{~1H}-NMR, and DSC. High molecular weight of the copolymer and high yield of the polymerization were achievedwithin 3 min at 25℃. The polymerization process was studied by ~(31)P{~1H}-NMR and transesterification wasfound during longer polymerization time.     

Controlled/living ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone catalyzed by phosphoric acid

The bulk ring-opening polymerization(ROP) of ε-caprolactone(ε-CL) by various phosphoric acids using phenylmethanol as the initiator was conducted.1,1’-bi-2-Naphthol(BINOL)-based phosphoric acid was found to be an effective organocatalyst for ROP leading to polyesters at 90℃.The overall conversion to poly(ε-caprolactone) was more than 96% and poly(ε-caprolactone) with M w of 8400 and polydispersity index of 1.13 was obtained.1 H NMR spectra of oligomers demonstrated the quantitative incorporation of the protic initiator in the polymer chains and showed that transesterification reactions did not occur to a significant extent.The controlled polymerization was indicated by the linear relationships between the number-average molar mass and monomer conversion or monomer-to-initiator ratio.In addition,the present protocol provided an easy-to-handle,inexpensive and environmentally benign entry for the synthesis of biodegradable materials as well as polyesters for biomedical applications.     

Preparation of amphiphilic graft copolymer with polyisoprene backbone by combination of anionic polymerization and “click” reaction

A novel graft copolymer consisting of polyisoprene backbone and hydrophilic side chain with carbamic acid ester functional group was prepared via thiol-ene"click"reaction and alcohol-isocyanate reactions.Polyisoprene was synthesized by anionic polymerization using n-butyl lithium as initiator,and the pendant hydroxyl groups were introduced by the thiol-ene reaction of mercaptoethanol with the double bond of 1,2-addition units of PI backbone in the presence of radical initiator azobisisobutyronitrile. Isocyanate end group capped poly(ethylene glycol)(mPEG-NCO) was grafted onto the PI backbone through alcoholisocyanate reaction between the pendant hydroxyl groups and isocyanate group of mPEG-NCO.The structure of the graft copolymer were characterized and confirmed by means of size-exclusion chromatography,~1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis of cyclic oligo(ethylene adipate)s and their melt polymerization to poly(ethylene adipate)

We present here the first synthesis of cyclic oligo(ethylene adipate)s(COEAs) via pseudo-high dilution condensation reaction of adipoyl chloride with ethylene glycol, and the synthesis of corresponding poly(ethylene adipate)(PEA) via the melt polymerization of COEAs. The structure of COEAs was characterized and proved by 1H-NMR and MALDI-TOF mass measurements. The effects of organic base, reaction temperature and the ratio of adipoyl chloride to ethylene glycol on the yield of COEAs were studied, and the optimum reaction condition was revealed. PEA, a diacid and diol based semi-crystalline green aliphatic polyester, was synthesized by the melt polymerization of COEAs using Ti(n-C4H9O)4 as catalyst and 1,10-decanediol as initiator at 200 °C, which follows the polycondensation-coupling ringopening polymerization method. Our strategy should be applicable to the synthesis of versatile aliphatic polyesters based on diacid and diol monomers, which have potential applications as biocompatible and biodegradable materials.     

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND NANOPARTICLE FORMATION OF STAR-SHAPED POLY(L-LACTIDE) WITH SIX ARMS

Well-defined star-shaped poly(L-lactide)with six arms(sPLLA)was synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide using dipentaerythritol as initiator and stannous octoate as catalyst in bulk at 125~C.The effects of molar ratios of both monomer to initiator and monomer to catalyst on the molecular weights of as-synthesized sPLLA polymers were in detail investigated.The molecular weights of sPLLA polymers linearly increased with the molar ratio of monomer to initiator,and the molecular weight d...     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel macromolecular surface modifier for polyethylene

A new macromolecular surface modifier, a copolymer of lauryl methacrylate (LMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl methacrylate (PEGMA), was synthesized through free radical polymerization. The copolymer was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (1H-NMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The copolymer was used to blend with polyethylene. The binary blends have been characterized by attenuated total reflection/Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), contact-angle measurements (CDA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that poly(ethylene glycol) methyl methacrylate-co-lauryl methacrylate (PEGMA-co-LMA) could diffuse preferably onto the surface of the polyethylene (PE) film, and thus can be used as an efficient surface modifier for PE.     

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF COPOLYMERS OF 2,4-DICHLOROPHENYL ACRYLATE WITH STYRENE:SYNTHESIS,CHARACTERIZATION AND REACTIVITY RATIOS

Some copolymers of 2,4-dichlorophenyl acrylate (2,4-DCPA) with styrene (St) of different teed compositions were prepared by tree radical polymerization technique using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator,and the copolymers were characterized by IR spectroscopy.The copolymer composition obtained by UV-spectra led to determination of reactivity ratio by employing Fineman-Ross (F-R) and Kelen-Tudos (K-T) methods.Average molecular weight,as well as intrinsic viscosity,was obtained by vapor pre...