Synthesis of Poly(vitamin C) through ADMET

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Organic Synthesis
• Biomaterials

Background:

• l-Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a vital biological compound.
• Polymerization of vitamin C has not been previously achieved via acyclic diene metathesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the novel polymerization of vitamin C using acyclic diene metathesis.
• To investigate the influence of various experimental conditions on the polymerization process and resulting polymer characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Conversion of l-ascorbic acid to an α,ω-diene monomer.
• Polymerization of the monomer using acyclic diene metathesis.
• Evaluation of different polymerization media, catalysts (Grubbs first generation and Hoveyda-Grubbs second generation), temperatures, and monomer/catalyst ratios.

Main Results:

• Moderate molecular weight polymers were obtained under bulk polymerization conditions.
• Solution polymerization resulted in low molecular weight polymers irrespective of the catalyst used.
• Grubbs first generation catalyst yielded higher molecular weight and greater yield compared to Hoveyda-Grubbs second generation catalyst.

Conclusions:

• Acyclic diene metathesis provides a viable route for vitamin C polymerization.
• Bulk polymerization conditions and specific catalysts (G1) are crucial for achieving desirable polymer molecular weights.
• This study opens avenues for developing novel vitamin C-based polymers for various applications.