Synthesis of biodegradable chiral polyesters and microspheres by asymmetric enzymatic polymerization
Materials with selective bio-responsiveness could have potential in medical applications. Here we report the synthesis of chiral microspheres obtained from non-crystalline aliphatic polyesters, with the aim to use chirality to program polymer microsphere degradation. By enzymatic enantioselective ki...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2008
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://repository.tue.nl/649533 |
| Summary: | Materials with selective bio-responsiveness could have potential in medical applications. Here we report the synthesis of chiral microspheres obtained from non-crystalline aliphatic polyesters, with the aim to use chirality to program polymer microsphere degradation. By enzymatic enantioselective kinetic resolution polymerization from racemic monomers, hydroxyl-terminated (R)-, (S)- and racemic poly-(4-methylcaprolatone) (PMCL) were successfully synthesized. Preliminary degradation experiments with Candida Antarctica Lipase B show that the degradation rate can be tuned by the polymer chirality. Chiral microspheres around 40 microns were obtained after acrylation of the polymers and subsequent in situ cross-linking in an oil-in-water (O–W) emulsion evaporation approach. |
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