Biomedical polymers from chiral lactides and functional lactones: Properties and applications

Configuration-respecting ring opening polymerization of ester-containing chiral cyclic monomers derived from metabolic compounds as lactic, glycolic and malic acids has a two-fold interest. First, it can lead to stereoregular polymers and copolymers whose physical, mechanical and biological properties can be adjusted through structural parameters. Secondly, resulting polymers can be degraded to the metabolic precursors of repeating units. Prerequisites which have to be taken into account for the selection and the tailor-making of bioresorbable polymers for applications in bone surgery and drug delivery are presented. Emphasis is made on structure-property relationships.