Well-defined high molecular weight polymers have become essential in biomedicine, and such polymers are readily accessible via polymerization of olefinic monomers. Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (DMAEMA) for example, has found widespread application as a non-viral gene delivery vehicle. Unfortunately, the carbon-based backbone of these polymers is not easily degraded, while incorporation of functional groups along the polymer backbone is far from trivial. Radical ring opening polymerization of cyclic vinyl monomers provides for an elegant, broadly applicable way of incorporating degradable and responsive linkages into the backbone of polymers. We have investigated the use of cyclic vinyl monomers containing allylic sulfides, in the copolymerization with DMAEMA. Copolymers were prepared, containing varying amounts of degradable linkages and their toxicity was evaluated through in vitro cell studies. These studies revealed increases in toxicity as molecular weight of the non-degradable polymers increased, while toxicity of the degradable, disulfide-containing, copolymers remained comparatively low. Our current efforts focus on the application of main-chain functional vinyl polymers in drug and gene delivery.

Biodegradable vinyl polymers via radical ring opening polymerization

248th National Meeting (2014)

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