A series of gradient and block copolymers, based on 2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO2MA) and tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA), were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in a first step. The MEO2MA monomer leads to the production of thermosensitive polymers, exhibiting lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at around room temperature, which could be adjusted by changing the proportion of tBA in the copolymer. In a second step, the tert‐butyl groups of tBA were hydrolyzed with trifluoroacetic acid to form the corresponding block and gradient copolymers of MEO2MA and acrylic acid (AA), which exhibited both temperature and pH‐responsive behavior. These copolymers showed LCST values strongly dependent on the pH. At acid pH, a slightly decrease of LCST with an increase of AA in the copolymer was observed. However, at neutral or basic conditions, ionization of acid groups increases the hydrophilic balance considerably raising the LCST values, which even become not observable over the temperature range under study. In the last step, these carboxylic functionalized copolymers were covalently bound to biocompatible and biodegradable films of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyhexanoate) [P(HB‐co‐HHx)] obtained by casting and, previously treated with ethylenediamine (ED) to render their surfaces with amino groups. Thereby, thermosensitive surfaces of modified P(HB‐co‐HHx) could be obtained. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011

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Isosorbide is a biobased compound which could become in the near future an advantageous competitor of petroleum-derived components in the synthesis of polymers of different nature. When the reactivity of isosorbide is not enough, it can be successfully transformed into secondary building blocks, such as isosorbide bis(methyl carbonate), which provides extra functionalities for polymerization reactions with diols or diamines. The present review summarizes the possibilities for isosorbide as a green raw material to be used in the synthesis of polycarbonates and polyurethanes to obtain products of similar or enhanced properties to the commercial equivalents.

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