Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2026

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
d-Xylose oxetane copolymers as bioderived and tuneable polyesters for amorphous solid dispersions
Ella F Clark1, Alexandra Howard2, Sebastian D Morales Feliu1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Bath Bath BA2 7AY UK.
Abstract:
The ring-opening copolymerisation of cyclic anhydrides with an oxetane derived from natural monosaccharide d-xylose has been used to synthesise fully biobased water soluble polyesters, which are able to stabilise the amorphous phases of nifedipine and mefenamic acid, enhancing their apparent solubility in water up to 918 and 142% respectively. 2D picolitre-scale inkjet-printing, coupled with polarised optical microscopy (POM) analysis, enabled an initial, high-throughput miniaturised (ng-μg scale) screening of drug formulations. The best formulations were scaled up and analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy and DSC, revealing interactions between the drugs and polymers. Finally, drug dissolution studies demonstrated the effectiveness of the polymers in improving the drugs' apparent solubility in water. These results showcase the potential of synthetic carbohydrate polymers as excipient for tailored drug formulations.
Related Concept Videos
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)

