| Abstract: | The heterogeneous reduction process for synthesis of poly(propylene imine) (PPI) dendrimer has been replaced by a novel and homogeneous process. Accordingly, to prepare half generations, acrylonitrile was added to amine groups via Michael addition reaction. Then, nitrile groups were reduced via homogeneous hydrogenation using lithium aluminium hydride to synthesize fifth‐generation PPI dendrimers with ethylenediamine core. Also, peripheral primary amine groups were conjugated with folic acid (FA). Fourier transform infrared and 13C NMR spectroscopies and gel permeation chromatograph y were used to prove the synthesis of the various structures. Finally fifth‐generation and FA‐conjugated fifth‐generation PPI dendrimers were loaded with doxorubicin and exposed to environments with different pH values to examine the release properties of the structures. Also, drug release kinetics was investigated by fitting experimental data with various release models. The synthesized dendritic structures showed Higuchi model release behaviour due to better solubility of drug in release media with respect to dendrimer cavities. |
