Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable homopolymers and block copolymers based on adipic anhydride

Homopolymers of adipic anhydride (AA) and block copolymers of ϵ-caprolactone (ϵ-CL) and AA have been synthesized with aluminum triisopropoxide as an initiator. Homopolymerization was studied at 20°C in toluene and methylene chloride (CH₂Cl₂). The end-group analysis agrees with a coordination insertion mechanism based on the acyl-oxygen cleavage of the AA ring. Living poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) chains are very efficient macro-initiators for the polymerization of AA, with formation of diblock copolymers of a narrow molecular weight distribution. At our best knowledge, low molecular weight ω-aluminum alkoxide PCL macroinitiators (M_n < 1000) allow the first valuable synthesis of PAA with a molecular weight as high as 58,000 and a quite narrow polydispersity (M_w/M_n = 1.2). Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and ¹³C NMR confirm the blocky structure of the copolymers, in agreement with DSC that shows two melting endotherms and two glass transitions characteristic of the crystalline and amorphous phases of PCL and PAA, respectively. Block copolymers of ϵ-CL and AA are also sensitive to hydrolysis, which makes them possible candidates for biomedical applications. Initiation of the AA polymerization in bulk with aluminum triisopropoxide in the presence of various ligands is also discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Design and Synthesis of Fast‐Degrading Poly(anhydride‐esters)

Fast‐degrading, salicylate‐based poly(anhydride‐esters) were designed to degrade and release the active component, salicylic acid (SA), within 1 week. The polymer degradation was enhanced by using shorter or oxygen‐containing aliphatic chains. A copolymer of diglycolic acid was also made with a salicylate‐based diacid for comparison of polymer properties, including SA release. Both methods resulted in polyanhydrides with molecular weights ranging from 14 500 to 27 800 Da and displayed glass transition temperatures near physiological conditions, namely 33–40 °C. The homo‐ and copolymers completely degraded within one week releasing the chemically incorporated SA.

     

Absorbable biopolymers derived from dimer fatty acids

A new class of aliphatic copolyanhydrides was synthesized from nonlinear hydrophobic dimers (FAD) of erucic acid and sebacic acid which possessed the desired physico-chemical and mechanical properties for use as a carrier for drugs. The polymers were synthesized by melt condensation to yield film-forming polymers with molecular weights of 250,000. The copolymer composition was determined by ¹H-NMR and gravimetric methods. In vitro degradation studies showed that these polymers degrade following a first-order kinetics with a rapid degradation in the first 10 days leaving a residue which is mostly the FAD comonomer. The drug release from the polymer also followed a first-order kinetics which correlates with the degradation process of the polymer. Drugs like carboplatin, methotrexate, tetracycline, and gentamicin were released in vitro for over 2 weeks and in some cases over 6 weeks. In vivo biocompatibility tests in rats and rabbits in the brain, muscle, and subcutaneously, demonstrated their toxicological inertness and biodegradability. The 1 : 1 copolymer of FAD : SA was selected as a carrier for various applications including a gentamicin-releasing implant which is now undergoing human clinical trials for the treatment of osteomyelitis. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Aminosalicylate-based biodegradable polymers: Syntheses and in vitro characterization of poly(anhydride-ester)s and poly(anhydride-amide)s

Poly(anhydride-ester)s and poly(anhydride-amide)s derived from both 4- and 5-aminosalicylate acids (4- and 5-ASA) were synthesized and characterized by physicochemical methods. Thermal and solubility characteristics directly correlated to the polymer backbone composition; polymers based on 5-ASA had greater solubilities in organic solvents than polymers based on 4-ASA, and the poly(anhydride-ester)s thermally decomposed at temperatures nearly 100 °C higher than the corresponding poly(anhydride-amide)s. The polymers were self-contained, controlled-release systems that combine the drug and controlled-release mechanism into the polymer backbone. The erosion and degradation characteristics of the polymers were measured in physiologically relevant media. All polymer matrices fully degraded in media buffered to pH 7.4, whereas in acidic media (pH 1.2), all polymer matrices maintained greater than 50% mass over a 90-day time period. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3667–3679, 2003     

A Novel Approach for Incorporation of Mono‐Functional Bioactive Phenols into Polyanhydrides

Antiseptics based on phenol and phenolic derivatives were chemically incorporated into polyanhydrides as pendant groups via ester linkages. Polyanhydrides with antiseptic loadings of 46–58 wt.‐% were obtained with molecular weights ranging from 9 400–23 000. In general, polymers with the bulkier antiseptics were more difficult to polymerize and yielded lower molecular weights. All polyanhydrides were amorphous with glass transition temperatures ranging from 27–58 °C. Polymers were deemed noncytotoxic after culturing L929 mouse fibroblast cells in media containing the polymers at two concentrations (0.10 and 0.01 mg · mL⁻¹) over three days. In summary, mono‐functional bioactives can be chemically incorporated into noncytotoxic polyanhydrides.

     

Synthesis,characterization, and degradation of poly(anhydride‐co‐amide)s and their blends with polylactide

In attempt to improve the properties of polyanhydrides based on aliphatic anhydrides, we synthesized novel polyanhydrides containing amide groups in the main chains. In this work, N,N′‐bis(L ‐alanine)‐sebacoylamide (BSAM) was prepared from natural amino acid and sebacic acid (SA) and characterized by IR and ¹H NMR. In addition, polymers of PBSAM, P[1,6‐bis(P‐carboxyphenoxy) hexane (CPH)‐BSAM], and P(CPH‐SA), blends of P(CPH‐SA)/polylactide (PLA), P(CPH‐BSAM)/PLA were also prepared and characterized by IR, gel permeation chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry. The hydrolytic degradation of polyanhydrides and their blends with PLA (number‐average molecular weight = 2.90 × 10⁵) was evaluated in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 37 °C. The results indicate that the existence of amide, aromatic, and ester bonds in the main chain of polymers slows down the degradation rate, and the tendency becomes clearer with the increasing amount of them, and the copolymers and their blends with PLA possess excellent physical and mechanical properties. These can make them more widely used in drug delivery and nerve regeneration. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4311–4317, 2004     

The influence of microstructure and monomer properties on the erosion mechanism of a class of polyanhydrides

The erosion of three different polyanhydrides consisting of sebacic acid (SA) and 1,3-bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)propane (CPP) was investigated. Melt cast polymer matrices were prepared from the homopolymer p(SA) and two copolymers, p(CPP-SA) 20 : 80 and p(CPP-SA) 50 : 50. Particular attention was paid to the influence of the polymer matrix microstructure and of the monomers on erosion. Using polarized light microscopy we found that p(SA) and p(CPP-SA) 20 : 80 matrices consist of spherulites. SEM investigations showed that their crystalline parts are more resistant to erosion than their amorphous areas. The matrices erode into highly porous devices, whose porosity is detectable by mercury porosimetry. Using wide-angle x-ray diffractometry we found that monomers crystallize inside the pores. DSC investigations showed a maximum of crystallized SA after 2–6 days and a continuous increase of CPP, which stays in the devices for weeks. We conclude that the microstructure and the monomer properties are the two main factors which determine the erosion of these polymers. The obtained data on changes in porosity, crystallinity, polymer matrix thickness, erosion front velocities, crystalline monomer content, and monomer release provides the basis for quantitatively describing the erosion process. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Biodegradable polymers derived from natural fatty acids

A new class of polyanhydrides synthesized from nonlinear hydrophobic fatty acid esters, based on ricinoleic, maleic acid, and sebacic acid, possessed desired physico-chemical and mechanical properties for use as drug carriers. The polymers were synthesized by melt condensation to yield film-forming polymers with molecular weights exceeding 100,000. Their rate of elimination from rats in the course of about 2 months was faster than that found for similar polyanhydrides previously tested. In vitro studies showed that these polymers underwent rapid degradation in the first 10 days. The drug release followed first-order kinetics, showing a rapid drug release rate in the first 10 days which correlated with the degradation of the polymers. The fatty acid ester monomers underwent in vitro enzymatic degradation to the natural starting acids. Tests in rats demonstrated their toxicological inertness and biodegradability. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Short methylene segment crosslinks in degradable aliphatic polyanhydride: Network formation,characterization, and degradation

Crosslinked poly(adipic anhydride) has been obtained in this study of the synthesis of a rapidly hydrolyzable crosslinked polymer system. The thermal, mechanical, and degradative behavior was markedly affected by the ratio of reactants, using 0–50 mol % of the crosslinking agent. Optimum properties were reached at 20–30 mol %. Methylene segment crosslinks were obtained by copolymerizing oxepan-2,7-dione (adipic anhydride) with 1,2,7,8-diepoxy-octane. The crosslinking reaction resulted in polyester bonds but the material had a significant amount of poly(adipic anhydride) homosequences. These are crucial for a rapid degradation. The network formation is dependent on the functionality of the reactants, on the reactivities of the functional groups and on the reaction pathways. In this study, the most important factor affecting the structure of main chains is the higher reactivity of the anhydride compared to that of the epoxide leading to homopolymer sequences. This was also evident in the model reaction between oxepan-2,7-dione and 1,2-epoxybutane. The initial degradation profile of the crosslinked polymer corresponds to the linear counterpart of the polymer. The remaining polyester network has a longer degradation rate. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.