Carbohydrate derived monomers for controlled ring-opening and step growth polymerizations

Abstract

Biodegradable polymers derived from renewable resources have a number of consumer and biomedical applications particularly in the area of drug deliver systems and tissues scaffolding. Carbohydrates represent a class of structurally diverse biomolecules that are readily available from natural sources. Here we report the synthesis of biodegradable polycarbonate polymers derived from simple sugars such as threitol and xylofuranose which are cheap and commercially available. These carbohydrates can be directly used in step growth condensation polymerizations or cyclized to form a cyclic carbonate for controlled ring opening polymerization. Details of monomer synthesis, as well as solution and bulk polymerizations will be presented in this poster. We have also investigated controlled ring-opening polymerization routes that utilize organic catalysts as a more environmentally friendly route to polymer synthesis, in contrast to metal-based catalysts. Preliminary investigations into the synthesis of novel amphilphilic block copolymers as biomaterials for drug delivery applications will also be discussed. In addition to potential medicinal and therapeutic applications, carbohydrate-based polymers represent a class of green polymers that reduce our reliance on petrochemical feedstocks.