In recent years the studies of biodegradable polymers have largely increased as a consequence of the wide range of properties and applications available (e.g. biomedical, pharmaceutical). Poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) is a poly(ester) which has been intensively investigated as it presents both biodegradable and mechanical properties to be used in drug delivery devices and engineering scaffolds. Nevertheless introduction of functionality into the PCL backbone is synthetically challenging. While several routes are possible to achieve such polymers, one in which the such polymers could be accessed by simple radical copolymerisation strategies would be attractive.The use of ketene acetal monomers, specifically 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (MDO), represents an alternative route for the synthesis of functionalised and copolymers poly(ester)s as, after polymerisation, a similar structure to PCL results. The copolymerisation of MDO with vinyl ester comonomers provides a route to random copolyesters and offers exciting opportunities in the synthesis of biodegradable polymers with functional side chain groups. Herein, the synthesis of linear and hyperbranched degradable PCL-like copolymers will be reported using MADIX (Macromolecular Design via Interchange of Xanthates) will be reported to yield polymers of controlled molecular weight and with a range of side chain functionalities.

Degradable functional polymers by controlled radical polymerization

248th National Meeting (2014)

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