Urinary tract infections (UTIs) present an increasing threat due to the rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance. Silver cations are broadly applicable biocidal agents that are effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria and rarely induce bacterial resistance. In this study, we constructed novel biocompatible and degradable glucose-based polycarbonates capable of carrying silver cations through silver-alkyne interactions, where the loading and release kinetics of silver could be tuned by altering the local composition surrounding terminal alkynes. The alkyne-containing triblock copolymers poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(glucose carbonate)-b-poly(l-lactide) (PEG-b-PGC-b-PLLA) were synthesized by efficient sequential ring-opening polymerizations of cyclic glucose carbonate (GC) monomers and L-lactide, using α-hydroxy-ω-azido-PEG as a macroinitiator. Two propargyl-containing GC monomers were designed and synthesized: one bearing a pendant hydrophobic ethyl carbonate group (GC(EP)), whereas the other equipped with a hydrophilic oligoethylene glycol group (GC(PO)). Both amphiphilic block copolymers could be assembled into well-defined nanoconstructs with capacity of silver-loading through silver-alkyne interactions. The tunabilities of silver loading capacity and release kinetics were successfully achieved via exquisite control of the local composition and aqueous accessibility of pendant alkynes. A higher silver loading efficiency and accelerated silver release were achieved with nanoconstructs assembled from PEG-b-PGC(PO)-b-PLLA, of which the terminal alkynes were surrounded by hydrophilic oligoethylene glycol, as compared to those assembled from PEG-b-PGC(EP)-b-PLLA.

Development of glucose-based polycarbonates with pendant alkynes for tunable silver loading and release

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.