title: Water-Soluble, Biocompatible Polyphosphazenes with Controllable and pH-Promoted Degradation Behavior.
abstract: The synthesis of a series of novel, water-soluble poly(organophosphazenes) prepared via living cationic polymerization is presented. The degradation profiles of the polyphosphazenes prepared are analyzed by GPC,31P NMR spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy in aqueous media and show tunable degradation rates ranging from days to months, adjusted by subtle changes to the chemical structure of the polyphosphazene. Furthermore, it is observed that these polymers demonstrate a pH-promoted hydrolytic degradation behavior, with a remarkably faster rate of degradation at lower pH values. These degradable, water soluble polymers with controlled molecular weights and structures could be of significant interest for use in aqueous biomedical applications, such as polymer therapeutics, in which biological clearance is a requirement and in this context cell viability tests are described which show the non-toxic nature of the polymers as well as their degradation intermediates and products.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Welser Street 42, 4060 Leonding, Austria.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilfert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Welser Street 42, 4060 Leonding, Austria.
authors.forename: Aitziber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iturmendi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Street 69, 4040 Linz, Austria ; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schoefberger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Medical University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Kushtrim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kryeziu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Medical University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria ; Research and Platform "Translational Cancer Therapy Research," Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heffeter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Medical University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria ; Research and Platform "Translational Cancer Therapy Research," Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Welser Street 42, 4060 Leonding, Austria.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brüggemann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Welser Street 42, 4060 Leonding, Austria.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Teasdale
keywords: biocompatible polymers; biodegradable polymers; polymer therapeutics; polyphosphazenes; water-soluble polymers
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