Synthesis of perfluoroalkylated xylitol ethers and esters: new surfactants for biomedical uses

New, well-defined surfactants and cosurfactants were synthesized with the objective of enhancing the stability of fluorocarbon emulsions destined to serve as oxygen carriers for biomedical applications. Monoperfluoroalkylated ethers of xylitol were achieved by addition of perfluoroalkyl iodide on the double bond of a protected xylitol allyl ether in a one-step addition-elimination reaction. Monoesters were obtained specifically on position 5 by treating 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidenexylitol with perfluoroalkylated acid chlorides of various chain lengths in pyridine at room temperature. The products display strong surface activity and produce a remarkable synergistic stabilization of a fluorocarbon/Pluronic F-68 type emulsion. Biocompatibility data are reported, which include in vitro toxicity tests on Namalva cell cultures and hemolysis tests on human blood cells; the latter was found to decrease as the length of the F-alkyl chain increased. IV injection in mice (n = 10) showed that these products were innocuous at 400-1000 mg/kg of body weight. Preliminary exchange-perfusion experiments on rats with an emulsion containing the F-octyl xylitol ether were encouraging.