Characterization of currently marketed heparin products: analysis of molecular weight and heparinase-I digest patterns

We evaluated polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and size exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS) approaches to determine weight-average molecular weight (M _w) and polydispersity (PD) of heparins. A set of unfractionated heparin sodium (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) samples obtained from nine manufacturers which supply the US market were assessed. For SEC-MALLS, we measured values for water content, refractive index increment (dn/dc), and the second virial coefficient (A ₂) for each sample prior to molecular weight assessment. For UFH, a mean ± standard deviation value for M _w of 16,773 ± 797 was observed with a range of 15,620 to 18,363 (n = 20, run in triplicate). For LMWHs by SEC-MALLS, we measured mean M _w values for dalteparin, tinzaparin, and enoxaparin of 6,717 ± 71 (n = 4), 6,670 ± 417 (n = 3), and 3,959 ± 145 (n = 3), respectively. PAGE analysis of the same UFH, dalteparin, tinzaparin, and enoxaparin samples showed values of 16,135 ± 643 (n = 20), 5,845 ± 45 (n = 4), 6,049 ± 95 (n = 3), and 4,772 ± 69 (n = 3), respectively. These orthogonal measurements are the first M _w results obtained with a large heparin sample set on product being marketed after the heparin crisis of 2008 changed the level of scrutiny of this drug class. In this study, we compare our new data set to samples analyzed over 10 years earlier. In addition, we found that the PAGE analysis of heparinase digested UFH and neat LMWH samples yield characteristic patterns that provide a facile approach for identification and assessment of drug quality and uniformity.     

Crystallisation behaviour of high density polyethylene blends with bimodal molar mass distribution: 2. Non-isothermal crystallisation

Crystallisation of high density polyethylene (HDPE) blends with broad bimodal molar mass distribution was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under non-isothermal conditions. The blends were prepared by blending a high molar mass PE (M_w=330 kg/mol, M_w/M_n=4.8) and a low molar mass linear PE (M_w=34 kg/mol, M_w/M_n=10) in different ratios in xylene solution. The samples were analysed by the normal DSC at different crystallisation rates and by a thermal fractionation technique.The blends and their parent polymers behaved according to general expectations i.e., crystallinity and density decreased when the molar mass of the samples increased. Additionally, non-linear relationships between MM and different analysed parameters were found. Small addition of the high molar mass parent polymer to the low molar mass parent polymer increased crystallisation temperature, although the general trend was decreasing. Furthermore, a complicated relationship between the reciprocal of crystallisation half-time and sample composition was found. The value increased first with increasing molar mass, reached a maximum when the average molar mass of the blend was between 150 and 200 kg/mol and then decreased. The detected maximum correlated with the broadest molar mass distribution of the blends. The crystallinities and densities of the blends with the broadest molar mass distribution also deviated from the linear correlation between them and molar mass. The Avrami index under non-isothermal conditions was analysed with a method developed by Harnisch and Muschik. The results indicated that thermal nucleation and spherical growth regimes are present in all studied materials.     

Effects of concentration of nonionic surfactant and molecular weight of polymers on the morphology of anisotropic polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite particles prepared by solvent evaporation method

The effects of the concentration of polyoxyethylene octylphenyl ether (OP-10) as a nonionic surfactant and the molecular weight of polymers (polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) on the morphology of anisotropic PS/PMMA composite particles were investigated. In the case of polymers with lower molecular weight (M _w ≈ 6.0 × 10⁴ g/mol), the PS/PMMA composite particles have dimple, via acorn, to hemispherical shapes along with the increase of the OP-10 concentration. On the other hand, when the polymers have higher molecular weight (M _w ≈ 3.3 × 10⁵ g/mol), the morphology of PS/PMMA composite particles changed from dimple, via hemispherical, to snowman-like structure while the concentration of OP-10 was increased. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis was first simply made by spreading coefficients, and the results indicated that both the concentration of OP-10 aqueous solution and the molecular weight of polymers were very important to the final morphology of anisotropic composite particles.     

Microemulsion polymerization of styrene using a polymerizable nonionic surfactant and a cationic surfactant

High polymer/surfactant weight ratios (up to about 15:1) of polystyrene microlatexes have been successfully produced by microemulsion polymerization using a small amount of polymerizable surfactant, ω-methoxypoly(ethylene oxide)₄₀ undecyl α-methacrylate macromonomer (PEO-R-MA-40), and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). After generating “seeding particles” in a ternary microemulsion containing only 0.2 wt% CTAB and 0.1 wt% styrene, the additional styrene containing less than 1 wt% PEO-R-MA-40 was added dropwise to the polymerized microemulsion for a period of about 4 h at room temperature. PEO-R-MA-40 copolymerized readily with styrene. The stable microlatexes were bluish-transparent at a lower polymer content and became bluish-opaque at a higher polymer content. Nearly monodisperse latex particles with diameters ranging from 50 to 80 nm and their molar masses ranging from 0.6 to 1.6 × 10⁶ g/mol could be obtained by varying the polymerization conditions. The dependence of the number of particles per milliliter of microlatex, the latex particle size and the copolymer molar mass on the polymerization time is discussed in conjunction with the effect of the macromonomer concentration. Received: 25 October/2000 Accepted: 2 February 2001     

Film formation stages for poly(vinyl acetate) latex particles: a photon transmission study

Photon transmission technique was used to monitor the evolution of transparency during film formation from poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) latex particles. The latex films were prepared below the glass transition temperature (T _g) of PVAc. These films were annealed at elevated temperatures in various time intervals above the T _g of PVAc. It is observed that transmitted photon intensity (I _tr) from these films increased as the annealing temperature is increased. It is seen from I _tr curves that there are two film formation stages. These successive stages are named void closure (viscous flow) and interdiffusion. The activation energies for viscous flow (ΔH) and backbone motion (ΔE _b) were obtained by using well-defined models. The averaged values of the backbone (ΔE _b) and the viscous flow activation energies (ΔH) were found to be 188.6 and 5.6 kcal/mol, respectively. The minimum film formation (τ _M,T _M) and healing points (τ _H,T _H) were determined. Minimum film formation (ΔE _M) and healing activation energies (ΔE _H) were measured using these time–temperature pairs. ΔE _M and ΔE _H were found to be 32.5 and 28.3 kcal/mol, respectively.     

Morphology and film formation of poly(butyl methacrylate)–polypyrrole core–shell latex particles

 Core–shell latex particles made of a poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) core and a thin polypyrrole (PPy) shell were synthesized by two-stage polymerization. In the first stage, PBMA latex particles were synthesized in a semicontinuous process by free-radical polymerization. PBMA latex particles were labeled either with an energy donor or with an energy acceptor, in two different syntheses. These particles were used in a second stage as seeds for the synthesis of the core–shell particles. The PPy shell was polymerized around the PBMA core latex in an oxidative chemical in situ polymerization. Proofs for the success of the core–shell synthesis were obtained using nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). NRET gives access to the rate of polymer chain migration between adjacent particles in a film annealed at a temperature above the glass-transition temperature T _g of the particles. Slower chain migration of the PBMA polymer chains was obtained with the PBMA–PPy core–shell particles compared to rate of the PBMA polymer chain migration found with the pure, uncoated PBMA particles. This result is due to the coating of PBMA by PPy, which hinders the migration of the PBMA polymer chains between adjacent particles in the film. This observation has been confirmed by AFM measurements showing that the flattening of the latex film surface is much slower for the core–shell particles than for the pure PBMA particles. This result can again be explained by the presence of a rigid PPy shell around the PBMA core. Thus, these two complementary methods have given evidence that real core–shell particles were synthesized and that the shell seriously hinders film formation of the particles in spite of the fact that it is very thin (thickness close to 1 nm) compared to the size (750 and 780 nm in diameter) of the PBMA core. Transparency measurements confirm the results obtained by NRET and AFM. When the films are placed at a temperature higher than the T _g of PBMA, the increase in transparency is faster for films made with the uncoated PBMA particles than for films made with the coated PBMA particles. This result indicates again that the presence of the rigid PPy layer around the PBMA core reduces considerably the speed at which the structure of the film is modified when heated above the T _g of PBMA. Received: 02 September 1999 Accepted: 21 December 1999     

Coagulation and flocculation measurements by photon correlation spectroscopy — colloidal SiO2 bare and covered by polyethylene oxide

With photon correlation spectrometry (PCS) the diffusion coefficients, average diameters and polydispersities of colloidal particles can be determined in dilute aqueous suspensions. In this study PCS is used to follow the coagulation and flocculation of silica particles. Electrolyte solution added to suspensions of bare particles and of particles covered with adsorbed polyethylene oxide layers induces aggregation. The rate constants of aggregation are evaluated by the second-order Smoluchowski theory with the assumptions of spherical aggregated particles and volume proportional light-scattering amplitude. Adsorbed PEO layers of molar mass lower thanM _w=160000 decrease the critical flocculation concentration and the flocculation states and rate constants for bare and covered particles are the same at high electrolyte concentrations. Polymer layers of high molar mass (M _w=325000, 900000) reducved at full coverage the rate constants and stabilize the suspensions even at high electrolyte concentrations. At low coverage adsorption of high molar mass polymers results in the same values as of low molar mass PEO. The correlation between rate constants and hydrodynamic PEO layer thicknesses demonstrates the steric influence of the tails of the adsorbed macromolecules on stability and flocculation.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Joachim Klein on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Thermochemistry of Microhydration of Sodiated and Potassiated Monosaccharides

The thermochemical properties ΔH ^o _n , ΔS ^o _n , and ΔG ^o _n for the hydration of sodiated and potassiated monosaccharides (Ara = arabinose, Xyl = xylose, Rib = ribose, Glc = glucose, and Gal = galactose) have been experimentally studied in the gas phase at 10 mbar by equilibria measurements using an electrospray high-pressure mass spectrometer equipped with a pulsed ion beam reaction chamber. The hydration enthalpies for sodiated complexes were found to be between −46.4 and −57.7 kJ/mol for the first, and −42.7 and −52.3 kJ/mol for the second water molecule. For potassiated complexes, the water binding enthalpies were similar for all studied systems and varied between −48.5 and −52.7 kJ/mol. The thermochemical values for each system correspond to a mixture of the α and β anomeric forms of monosaccharide structures involved in their cationized complexes.     

Crystallisation behaviour of high density polyethylene blends with bimodal molar mass distribution 1. Basic characteristics and isothermal crystallisation

Isothermal crystallisation of high density polyethylene (HDPE) blends and their parent polymers was investigated. The blends having broad bimodal molar mass distributions and various compositions were prepared by blending a high molar mass (M_w=330 kg/mol, M_w/M_n=4.8) and a low molar mass HDPE (M_w=34 kg/mol, M_w/M_n=10) in different ratios in xylene solution. The blends and their parent components were characterised by size-exclusion chromatography, dynamic rheological and density measurements. Crystallisation kinetics were studied using a polarised light microscope equipped with an in-house built hot stage and by differential scanning calorimetry. The Avrami theory was applied for crystallisation kinetics analysis. Such crystallisation kinetics parameters as nucleation rate, nucleation density, the Avrami index and cystallisation rate contant were determined for the blends and their parent polymers.According to the results obtained an increasing polydispersity of the sample had a slight increasing effect on the Avrami index, indicating gain in prevalence of the thermal nucleation over the athermal one. In all samples nucleation density increased continuously during crystallisation verifying that the presence of a certain thermal nucleation was typical for all the materials studied. Both the crystallisation rate constant and the nucleation rate decreased with increasing molar mass of the sample. The nucleation density increased proportionally to the increase in average molar mass and the values were larger at lower crystallisation temperatures.The formed supermolecular structure was found to be sensitive to the blend composition and crystallisation temperature. Irregular banded or non-banded spherulites were observed in the materials. Banding of spherulites was typical for the samples having higher average molar mass. The superstructures observed in this work were smaller and vaguer than the superstructures reported in the earlier studies of polyethylene materials having similar average molar mass but narrow molar mass distribution.     

Preparation of urea-poly(tetrahydrofuran) complexes and their application for fractionation of oligomers

The synthesis of the urea channel inclusion complexes of poly(tetrahydrofuran)) (PTHF) is described. These complexes could be obtained in the form of single crystals forM _n 1700 g/mol of PTHF as the guest, and they exhibit a hexagonal unit cell (a=8.20(2) Å,c=11.05(3) Å) very similar to the wellknown urea-n-alkane complexes. X-ray investigations, elemental analysis and density measurements suggest an all trans zig-zag conformation of the polymer chain.The formation of the complexes was exploited for the purpose of fractionation of PTHF, making use of the correlation between temperature of crystallization andM _n of the included polyether chain.The distribution and the molecular weights of the fractions, obtained by extractive crystallization, were determined by reversed phase HPLC analysis and vapour pressure osmometry (VPO). Narrow fractions with M_w/M_n=1.02 were obtained from commercial PTHF samples.Successive fractionation was applied also on product mixtures from oligomer synthesis, as demonstrated for the separation of the dodecamer H-(o-(CH₂)₄-)₁₂OH.Herrn Prof. Dr. R. Bonart mit den besten Wünschen zum 60. Geburtstag gewidment     

Synthesis and pH-sensitive micellization of doubly hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(acrylic acid) triblock copolymer in aqueous solutions

A doubly hydrophilic triblock copolymer poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-b-PEO-b-PAA) with M _w/M _n = 1.15 was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization of t-butyl acrylate (tBA), followed by acidolysis of the PtBA blocks. The pH-sensitive micellization of PAA-b-PEO-b-PAA in acidic solution was investigated by potentiometric titration, fluorescence spectrum, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential. The pK _a was 6.6 and 6.0 in deionized water and in 0.1 mol/L NaCl solution, respectively. The copolymer formed micelles composed of a weakly hydrophobic core of complexed PAA and PEO and a hydrophilic PEO shell in 1 mg/mL solution at pH < 5.5 due to hydrogen bonding. The critical micelle concentration was 0.168 mg/mL at pH 2.0. At pH < 4.5, steady and narrow distributed micelles were formed. Increasing pH to 5.0, unsteady and broad distributed micelles were observed. At pH > 5.5, the micelle was destroyed owing to the ionization of the PAA blocks.     

SYNTHESIS OF POLYPROPYLENE-POLY(METH)ACRYLATE BLOCK COPOLYMERS USING METALLOCENE CATALYZED PROCESSES AND SUBSEQUENT ATOM TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

ABSTRACT

The synthesis of block copolymers containing low molar mass polypropylene and poly(meth)acrylates is reported. Vinyl-terminated polypropylene (M_n SEC=3,100; M_w/M_n=1.45) was used to prepare a macroinitiator for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) via hydrosilation with 1-(2-bromoisobutyryloxy)propyl-tetramethyldisiloxane. Polar segments were then incorporated to polypropylene by chain extension using either methyl methacrylate, or n-butyl acrylate. While blocking efficiency was limited in this system, well-defined PP-b-PMMA (M_n=22,220; M_w/M_n=1.14) was obtained by extraction of unreacted polypropylene with diethyl ether.     

Synthesis of poly(vinyl acetate)-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) block copolymers by a combination of cobalt-mediated radical polymerization and RAFT polymerization and their use in dispersion polymerization under UV radiation

Well-defined poly(vinyl acetate)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVAc-b-P4VP) block copolymers were synthesized for the first time by a combination of cobalt-mediated radical polymerization (CMRP) and reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and were used to prepare PVAc-b-P4VP hairy polystyrene (PSt) particles. PVAc end-capped by a cobalt(II) acetylacetonate complex was first synthesized by the CMRP of vinyl acetate, after which the cobalt complex was modified into a dithiobenzoate group for the RAFT polymerization of 4-vinylpyridine. The hairy PSt particles were synthesized by the dispersion polymerization of St using the PVAc-b-P4VP as both a macro-initiator and a colloidal stabilizer under UV radiation. The average size of PSt particles synthesized with 20 wt.% of PVAc-b-P4VP (M _n = 39,500 g/mol) was 136 nm (CV = 19.2%). Very small Au nanoparticles were successfully immobilized on the surface of the PSt particles.     

Analysis of photocurrent spectra at polybithienyl film coated on Pt

Photoelectrochemical measurements have been performed at a polybithienyl (PBT) film (doping level of 1 × 10¹⁸/cm³) deposited on a platinum electrode. The cathodic photocurrents and negative slope of the Mott-Schottky plot indicate that the PBT film has the features of a p-type semiconductor. The cathodic photocurrents are interpreted in terms of the Gaertner-Butler model on the basis of the theory of the semiconductor|solution interface. The (i _ph hν)^2/n vs. hν plots taken from the photocurrent spectra show two linearities for n=1 in the wavelength range from 460 nm to 490 nm and for n=4 in the wavelength range λ > 490 nm. The band gaps of the PBT film were determined to be 2.05 ± 0.05 eV for n=1 and 1.55 ± 0.05 eV for n=4. The flat-band potential is 0.33 V (vs SCE). From the slope of the Mott-Schottky plot at the modulation frequency of 3 kHz, the dielectric constant ɛ of the film and the thickness of the depletion layer W ₀ of the PBT film were determined to be 7.4 and 0.29 μm, respectively. Received: 6 January 1999 / Accepted: 6 June 1999     

CHEMOENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF BIODEGRADABLE POLY(1’-O-VINYLADIPOYL-SUCROSE)

t A novel polymer containing the sucrose group was synthesized by radical polymerization from an enzymaticallyprepared monomer, l'-O-vinyledipoyl-sucrose (VAS). Transesterification reaction of sucrose with divinyl adipate inanhydrous pyridine catalyzed by an alkaline protease from Bacillus subtilis at 60℃ for 7 days gave VAS (yield 55%) withoutany blocking/deblocking steps. The vinyl sucrose ester could be polymerized with potassium persulfate and H_2O_2 as initiatorto give poly(l'-O-vinyladipoyl-sucrose) with M_n = 33,000 and M_w = 53,200, M_w/M_n = 1.61. The polymer was biodegradable.After 6 days in aqueous buffer (pH 7), this alkaline protease could degrade poly(l'-O-vinyladipoyl-sucrose) to M_n of ca.1080, M_w/M_n = 3.30 (37℃), and M_n of ca. 5200, M_w/M_n = 2.44 (4℃). The polymer containing the sucrose branch would be afunctional material in various application fields.     

Electrostatic Interactions and Stability of Poly-l-lysine Covered Polystyrene Latex Particles Investigated by Dynamic Light Scattering

Adsorption isotherms of the pH dependent positively charged polyelectrolyte poly-l-lysine (PLL) on negatively and positively charged polystyrene latices are determined. With photon correlation spectrometry (PCS) the influence of the fluctuating PLL domaines in solution on the diffusion coefficient is observed at low salt concentrationsc_NaBr< 10⁻³M with λ =c_PE/c_NaBr< 0.1 (c_PE= concentration of the polyelectrolyte units). Screening of the charged layer by increasing electrolyte concentration results in large adsorbed amounts and layer thicknesses. At low molar mass of PLL the suspensions become unstable and the state and kinetic of flocculation is followed by the decreasing diffusion coefficient. PLL of higher molar mass (M_w≥ 100 000) stabilizes the particles sterically and the adsorbed layer thicknesses can be determined. The conclusions drawn from PCS features are confirmed directly by raster electron micrographs of the filtered particles.     

Characterising latex particles and fractal aggregates using image analysis

The fractal nature of latex particles and their aggregates was characterised by image analysis in terms of fractal dimensions. The one- and two-dimensional fractal dimensions, D ₁ and D ₂, were estimated for polystyrene latex aggregates formed by flocculation in citric acid/phosphate buffer solutions. The dimensional analysis method was used, which is based on power law correlations between aggregate perimeter, projected area and maximum length. These aggregate characteristics were measured by image analysis. A two-slopes method using cumulative size distributions of aggregate length and solid volume has been developed to determine the three-dimensional fractal dimension (D ₃) for the latex aggregates. The fractal dimensions D ₁, D ₂ and D ₃ measured for single latex particles in distilled water agreed well with D ₁ = 1, D ₂ = 2 and D ₃ = 3 expected for Euclidean spherical objects. For the aggregates, the fractal dimension D ₂ of about 1.67 ± 0.04 (±standard deviation) was comparable to the fractal dimension D ₃ of approximately 1.72 ± 0.13 (±standard deviation), taking the standard deviations into account. The measured three-dimensional fractal dimension for latex aggregates is within the fractal dimension range 1.6–2.2 expected for aggregates formed through a cluster-cluster mechanism, and is close to the D ₃ value of about 1.8 indicated for cluster formation via diffusion-limited colloidal aggregation. Received: 28 September 1998 Accepted: 29 October 1998     

Synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” grafting

A method was developed for the synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” coupling. Acetylene functionalities were introduced on linear polystyrene (M_n = 5300 g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.05) by acetylation and reaction with potassium hydroxide, 18‐crown‐6 and propargyl bromide in toluene. Polymerization of styrene with 6‐tert‐butyldimethylsiloxyhexyllithium yielded polystyrene (M_n = 5200 g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.09) with a protected hydroxyl chain end. Deprotection, followed by conversions to tosyl and azide functionalities, provided the side chain material. Coupling with CuBr and N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine proceeded in up to 94% yield. Repetition of the grafting cycles led to well‐defined (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.1) polymers of generations G1 and G2 in 84% and 60% yield, respectively, with M_n and branching functionalities reaching 2.8 × 10⁶ g/mol and 460, respectively, for the G2 polymer. Coupling longer (M_n = 45,000 g/mol) side chains with acetylene‐functionalized substrates was also examined. For a linear substrate, a G0 polymer with M_n = 4.6 × 10⁵ g/mol and M_w/M_n = 1.10 was obtained in 87% yield; coupling with the G0 (M_n = 52,000 g/mol) substrate produced a G1 polymer (M_n = 1.4×10⁶ g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.38) in 28% yield. The complementary approach using azide‐functionalized substrates and acetylene‐terminated side chains was also investigated, but proceeded in lower yield. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1730–1740     

Determination of homocitrulline in urine of patients with HHH syndrome by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method is described for the analysis of homocitrulline in human urine, a key metabolite in the differential diagnosis of hyperammonemia, hyperornithinemia, homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome. Urine samples were prepared by mere five-fold dilution with a mixture of internal standards (²H₂-citrulline and ²H₃-creatinine) used for the simultaneous quantification of creatinine. Analytes were separated on a cyano column and eluted isocratically within seven min. Detection was achieved by monitoring transitions of 190 > 84 and 190 > 127 for homocitrulline, 178 > 115 for ²H₂-citrulline, 114 > 44 for creatinine and 117 > 47 for ²H₃-creatinine. Calibration curves were linear up to 100 micromol/L. Intraday (n = 7) and interday (n = 6) variations were less than 10%. In urine samples from three siblings confirmed to have HHH syndrome, homocitrulline levels were at 13.3 (74), 21.1 (50) and 108.2 (103) mmol/mol creatinine (micromol/L). Control values were 0–9 mmol/mol creatinine (n = 120). The current method solves specificity issues in homocitrulline determination often encountered with some ninhydrin-based systems (coelution with methionine) and some o-phthalaldehyde-based ones (coelution with taurine), and presents an attractive alternative with a relatively high throughput.     

Branched versus linear polyisoprene: Fractionation and phase behavior

Branched polyisoprene (PI) was prepared from PI-macromonomers. Linear byproducts of the synthesized polymer were removed by means of inverse spin fractionation, using the solvent cyclohexane (CH) and the precipitant acetone (AC). A well-defined fraction (M_w = 17.5 kg/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.8) of the branched polyisoprene obtained in this manner was used to determine different phase diagrams with branched and/or linear PI in the mixed solvent CH/AC at 25 °C. For comparable molar masses of the polymers the two-phase area is smallest for the branched PI and slightly larger for the linear PI; in the case of the unfractionated original sample of the branched polymer one observes a pronounced peninsula of immiscibility extending into the region of high CH concentrations. This feature is attributed to a large miscibility gap between the branched and the linear polymer, which was studied in more detail for the ternary system CH/branched PI/linear PI.