Lipid polymers: Building bilayer biomaterials

CHED 714

Michael J. Magner, mmagner.student@manhattan.edu, Department of Chemistry, Manhattan College, 4513 Manhattan College Parkway, Bronx, NY 10461 and Rajeswari Kasi, Department of Chemistry, Polymer Program, University of Connecticut, 97 N. Eagleville Rd (U-136), Storrs, CT 06269.
Polymerization is the term given to reactions which yield repeating structural units covalently bonding to each other, forming its respective polymer. This research concentrated on synthesizing a bilayer biocompatible monomer, 2-{3-(acrylamide propyl)dimethyl ammonium}diethyl phosphate, an analogous phospholipid. These bilayers will be used for delivery of drugs, antigens, or as markers. The latter part of this research utilized a monomer, norbornene cholesterol. This monomer is important because when polymerized as a diblock copolymer with cyclooctene, it can respond to electric and magnetic fields causing it to be a useful artificial muscle actuator material. The construction of these materials involved many organic synthesis steps which took place at various temperatures, time lengths, and purging of nitrogen gas. Purification was done with a separatory funnel and various solvents. Solvents were removed under reduced pressure. Results indicate that the phospholipid monomer was synthesized as well as the diblock copolymer.