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Updated: Jun 5, 2025
09:57
A Facile and Efficient Approach for the Production of Reversible Disulfide Cross-linked Micelles
Published on: December 23, 2016
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Toward Intracellular Delivery: Aliphatic Polycarbonates with Pendant Thiol-Reactive Thiosulfonates for Reversible
Patric Komforth1,2, Jan Imschweiler1, Milena Hesse2,3
1Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
Biomacromolecules
|December 4, 2024
Summary
This study introduces novel biodegradable polymers with thiol-reactive groups for reversible modifications. These functional polymers form micelles for potential intracellular drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Postpolymerization modification is crucial for synthesizing complex functional polymers.
- Biodegradable polymers are essential for biomedical applications, including drug delivery.
- Developing polymers with reversible modification capabilities enhances their utility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize aliphatic polycarbonates with pendant thiol-reactive thiosulfonate groups.
- To demonstrate reversible postpolymerization modification via disulfide formation.
- To create functional block copolymers for self-assembly and drug delivery applications.
Main Methods:
- Organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of six-membered cyclic carbonates.
- Reversible modification of polymers with benzyl mercaptans.
- Block copolymerization with polyethylene glycol and micelle formation.
Main Results:
- Polymers with narrow molecular weight dispersities (Đ = 1.2) and intact thiosulfonate groups were synthesized.
- High degrees of reversible disulfide modification were achieved.
- Amphiphilic block copolymers self-assembled into micelles (∼33 nm) capable of encapsulating and delivering hydrophobic dyes into macrophages.
Conclusions:
- The developed polymers enable reversible postpolymerization modification of biodegradable scaffolds.
- The resulting block copolymers can form functional micelles for potential intracellular drug delivery.
- This platform offers a versatile approach for designing advanced functional biomaterials.
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