title: Synthesis and characterizations of biodegradable and crosslinkable poly(epsilon-caprolactone fumarate), poly(ethylene glycol fumarate), and their amphiphilic copolymer.
abstract: A series of self-crosslinkable and biodegradable polymers, poly(caprolactone fumarate) (PCLF), poly(ethylene glycol fumarate) (PEGF), and their copolymer PEGF-co-PCLF, has been developed for tissue engineering applications using a novel synthesis method. The current method employs potassium carbonate (K2CO3), other than the previously reported triethylamine, as the proton scavenger. The new synthetic route is more convenient and less time-consuming to carry out, and the synthesized polymers have a much lighter color, which renders them more suitable for self-crosslinking via photo-initiation. This group of polymers are essentially copolymers of fumaryl chloride, which contains double bonds for in situ crosslinking, with poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) or/and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) that has a flexible chain to facilitate self-crosslinking. Both PCLF and PEGF, and their amphiphilic copolymer PEGF-co-PCLF could be self-crosslinked or photocrosslinked to produce scaffolds without the use of a crosslinking agent. Our results suggest that these polymers are potentially useful as injectable, self-crosslinkable, and photo-crosslinkable materials for diverse tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering and Polymeric Biomaterials Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Shanfeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lichun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gruetzmacher
authors.forename: Bradford L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Currier
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yaszemski
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry*; D005650:Fumarates / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005650:Fumarates; D011091:Polyesters; C506476:poly(caprolactone fumarate); C508734:poly(ethylene glycol fumarate); D011092:Polyethylene Glycols