Polymers with pendent antioxidant groups are intriguing materials that retain the desirable chemical protection of the small molecule while gaining the improved physical properties of the polymer. However, these polymers persist in the environment long after consumption of the antioxidant moieties. We will discuss recent progress made by a team of undergraduate researchers towards a novel class of degradable antioxidant polymers. This research includes synthesis of novel difunctional initiators that degrade upon oxidation, synthesis of vinyl monomers with pendent reducing agent moieties, and synthesis of several polymer compositions. These stimuli-responsive polymers will provide protection from oxidizing conditions and then fragment into smaller units after consumption of the redox active moieties. This research will demonstrate a new type of system with materials that have rationally tunable lifetimes and degradation profiles under oxidizing conditions. The tunable lifetime of the proposed materials could enable their use as antioxidant additives, degradable packaging, and containers for drug delivery applications.

Degradable polymers with antioxidant pendent groups

255th National Meeting (2018)

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