title: Synthesis of atactic and isotactic poly(1,2-glycerol carbonate)s: degradable polymers for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.
abstract: The synthesis and characterization of atactic and isotactic linear poly(benzyl 1,2-glycerol carbonate)s are reported. The poly(benzyl 1,2-glycerol carbonate)s were obtained via the ring-opening copolymerization of rac-/(R)-benzyl glycidyl ether with CO2 using [SalcyCo(III)X] complexes with high carbonate linkage selectivity and polymer/cyclic carbonate selectivity (>99%). Deprotection of the resultant polymers afforded poly(1,2-glycerol carbonate)s with a functionalizable pendant primary hydroxyl group. Poly(1,2-glycerol carbonate) showed a remarkable increase in degradation rate compared to poly(1,3-glycerol carbonate) with a t1/2 ≈ 2-3 days. These polymers fulfill an unmet need for a readily degradable biocompatible polycarbonate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Grinstaff
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011091:Polyesters; C020344:glycidyl ethers; C584813:poly(1,2-glycerol carbonate); D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003035:Cobalt