Macromolecular engineering of polylactones and polylactides. 9. Synthesis, characterization, and application of ι-primary amine poly(iε-caprolactone)

Preparation of polysaccharide supramolecular films by vine-twining polymerization approach

In this study, we investigated the preparation of polysaccharide supramolecular films through the formation of inclusion complexes by amylose in vine-twining polymerization using carboxymethyl cellulose-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) (CMC-g-PCL) as a new guest polymer. First, hydrogels were prepared by phosphorylase-catalyzed enzymatic polymerization in the presence of CMC-g-PCL according to the vine-twining polymerization manner. The XRD result of a powdered sample obtained by lyophilization of the resulting hydrogel indicated the presence of inclusion complexes of amylose with the PCL graft-chains between intermolecular (CMC-g-PCL)s, which acted as supramolecular cross-linking points for the hydrogelation. Then, the supramolecular films were obtained by adding water to the powdered samples, followed by drying. The mechanical properties of the selected films examined by tensile testing were superior to those of a CMC film. The effect of the supramolecular cross-linking structures on the mechanical properties of the films was evaluated further by several investigations.

Fast and Convenient Synthesis of Amine-Terminated Polylactide as a Macroinitiator forω-Benzyloxycarbonyl-L-Lysine-N-Carboxyanhydrides

Amine-terminated poly (L-lactide) (NH2-PLLA) with various chain lengths were successfully synthesized by sequential tert-butyl-N-(3-hydroxypropyl) carbamate initiated bulk ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide (L-LA) in the presence of Stannous(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)2) and deprotection of theN-tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) group at the end of the polymer chain. The polymers obtained were characterized by FT-IR,1H NMR, and GPC method. NH2-PLLA thus prepared was used to initiate the polymerization of ω-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine-N-carboxyanhydride (Lys (Z)-NCA), and the result confirmed the high nucleophilicity of the terminal amine group. This method was not only suitable for the preparation of low molecular weight NH2-PLLA, but also quite efficient in the synthesis of high molecular weight samples.

Synthesis of a novel structural triblock copolymer of poly(γ -benzyl-l-glutamic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone)

A novel structural triblock copolymer of poly(gamma-benzyl-l-glutamic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PBLG-PEO-PCL) was synthesized by a new approach in the following three steps: (1) sequential anionic ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ethylene oxide and epsilon-caprolactone with an acetonitrile/potassium naphthalene initiator system to obtain a diblock copolymer CN-PEO-PCL with a cyano end-group; (2) conversion of the CN end-group into NH2 end-group by hydrogenation to obtain NH2-PEO-PCL; (3) ROP of gamma-benzyl-l-glutamate-N-carboxyanhydrides (Bz-l-GluNCA) with NH2-PEO-PCL as macroinitiator to obtain the target triblock copolymer. The structures from CN-PEO precursor to the triblock copolymers were confirmed by FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, and their molecular weights were measured by gel permeation chromatography. The monomer of Bz-l-GluNCA can react almost quantitatively with the amino end-groups of NH2-PEO-PCL macroinitiator by ROP.

Synthesis and characterization of a brush-like copolymer of polylactide grafted onto chitosan

A brush-like poly(DL)-lactide grafted onto chitosan as the backbone was investigated. The graft copolymerization was carried out with triethylaluminum as catalyst in toluene at 70 degrees C. It was found that a greater lactide content in the feeding ratio results in a higher grafting percentage. FTIR spectrometry, (1)H NMR, DSC scanning, and wide-angle X-ray scattering, respectively, are used to characterize these branch copolymers. A copolymer has a definite melting point when the molar feeding ratio of lactide to chitosan is more than 10:1, and the deltaH of the copolymers increases with the feed ratio of lactide to chitosan in feeding.