CHED 820 |
| The biocompatible/biodegradable polymers, polylactide, polyglycolide, polycaprolactone, and amphiphilic block copolymers formed therefrom have been employed in a number of biomedical applications. To expand architectural diversity within this class of macromolecules, we have synthesized calixarene-core polylactide star polymers with narrow polydispersity indices. In short, homopolymers have been prepared by Sn(II)-catalyzed, ring-opening polymerization of DL-lactide using a tetra-functional, calixarene initiator. To produce amphiphilic diblock copolymers, selected polylactides were derivatized via carbodiimide-mediated coupling of the chain-ends of the star polymer arms to the carboxyl-terminus of a modified poly(ethylene glycol). Preliminary results suggest that the aforementioned copolymers are produced with reasonably high coupling efficiencies and that the amphiphiles self-assemble to form micelles in dilute aqueous solution. Further characterization is underway in efforts to develop a novel, micelle-based drug-delivery system. Moreover, it is anticipated that a variety of functional groups may be integrated in calixarene-core polylactides, affording building blocks for diverse materials applications. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Polymer Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |