Temperature responsive smart materials, such as poly(acrylamides) (PAs), undergo a reversible hydrophilicity change at a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) which makes them particularly attractive for biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery. However, the nondegradable backbone of PAs and many other thermoresponsive polymers ultimately limit their use for a number of applications. To date, few examples of thermoresponsive, biodegradable polymers exist. Recently, our lab has developed a library of thermoresponsive polyesters (TR-PEs) based on PAs and thermoresponsive elastin-like peptides (ELPs). A modular synthetic design allows for polyesterification of a variety of N-substituted amide-diol monomers, yielding a library of TR-PEs. The LCST range can be tuned between 0-50°C, dependent on polymer structure and cosolutes, as evidenced by UV-Vis, <sup>1</sup>H NMR, and DLS. Additionally, the hydrophilic nature of TR-PEs prevents full dehydration above the LCST, resulting in the formation of polymer-rich coacervates. The degradable polyester backbone enables hydrolytic degradation over time. These features make TR-PEs attractive candidates for applications such as controlled drug release and degradable scaffolds.

Highly tunable library of thermoresponsive, biodegradable polyesters based on N-substituted diols

251st National Meeting (2016)

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