Encapsulation and release by star‐shaped block copolymers as unimolecular nanocontainers

With the advancement of polymer engineering, complex star-shaped polymer architectures can be synthesized with ease, bringing about a host of unique properties and applications. The polymer arms can be functionalized with different chemical groups to fine-tune the response behavior or be endowed with targeting ligands or stimuli responsive moieties to control its physicochemical behavior and self-organization in solution. Rheological properties of these solutions can be modulated, which also facilitates the control of the diffusion of the drug from these star-based nanocarriers. However, these star-shaped polymers designed for drug delivery are still in a very early stage of development. Due to the sheer diversity of macromolecules that can take on the star architectures and the various combinations of functional groups that can be cross-linked together, there remain many structure-property relationships which have yet to be fully established. This review aims to provide an introductory perspective on the basic synthetic methods of star-shaped polymers, the properties which can be controlled by the unique architecture, and also recent advances in drug delivery applications related to these star candidates.

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Section: Applications Of Star‐shaped Polymersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nano‐Star‐Shaped Polymers for Drug Delivery Applications

Yang

Deen

et al. 2017

Macromol. Rapid Commun.

120

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“…Recently, block copolymers have been the subject of experimental and theoretical interests due to their practical applications as thermoplastic elastomers (22), superabsorbents (23), unimolecular nanocontainers (24). Free radical polymerization is one of the most important processes for the industrial polymer production, because a broader class of monomers can be polymerized under simple experimental conditions (25).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthesis of a New Macroperoxy Initiator with Methyl Methacrylate and T-Butyl Peroxy Ester by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and Copolymerization with Conventional Vinyl Monomers

Öztürk

Yılmaz

Hazer

2008

Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part A

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In this study, we present the synthesis of poly-MMA macroperoxy initiators obtained by the ATRP of MMA with bromo methyl benzyl t-butyl peroxy ester (t-BuBP) as an initiator, and CuX (X:Br or Cl)/2,2 -bipyridine (bpy) as a catalyst system at 0, 20, 30 and 40 • C. The peroxygen groups do not decompose during the ATRP reaction, because low reaction temperatures used for the ATRP reaction are not enough to decompose them. The peroxygen groups of poly-PMMA macroperoxy initiators can lead them to react with a monomer by using appropriate reaction conditions to obtain the block or graft copolymers. For this purpose, poly-MMA macroperoxy initiators were used to synthesize poly(MMA-b-S) block copolymers with S and used for graft copolymerization of polybutadiene (PBd) and natural rubber (RSS-3) to obtain crosslinked poly(MMA-g-PBd) and poly(MMA-g-RSS-3) graft copolymers. Swelling ratio values of the crosslinked graft copolymers in CHCl 3 were calculated. The characterizations of the polymers were achieved by FT-IR, 1 H-NMR, GPC, DSC, SEM, and the fractional precipitation (γ ) techniques. The reaction schemes were also performed using the HYPERCHEM 7.5 program. The mechanical properties of the products were investigated.

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“…Polymers with 6 and 12 arms were selected to be studied because of their ease of synthesis (compared to 24 and 48 arm cores) combined with their likelihood of exhibiting behavior that contrasted traditional “1-arm” linear block copolymers. These polymers were prepared by ATRP54,55 from dendritic cores56 bearing 6 or 12 tertiary bromide functionalities at their periphery 46, 57, 58. Diblocks were prepared by successive polymerization of a hydrophilic monomer, oligo (ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA), followed by a nonpolar monomer, lauryl methacrylate (LMA).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthesis of Amphiphilic Star Block Copolymers and Their Evaluation as Transdermal Carriers

Poree¹,

Giles²,

Lawson

et al. 2011

Biomacromolecules

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Amphiphilic star polymers offer substantial promise for a range of drug delivery applications owing to their ability to encapsulate guest molecules. One appealing but under-explored application is transdermal drug delivery using star block copolymer reverse micelles as an alternative to the more common oral and intravenous routes. 6- and 12-arm amphiphilic star copolymers were prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of sequential blocks of polar oligo (ethylene glycol)methacrylate and nonpolar lauryl methacrylate from brominated dendritic macroinitiators based on 2, 2-bis(hydroxymethyl) propionic acid. These star block copolymers demonstrate the ability to encapsulate polar dyes such as rhodamine B and FITC-BSA in nonpolar media via UV/Vis spectroscopic studies and exhibit substantially improved encapsulation efficiencies, relative to self-assembled “1-arm” linear block copolymer analogs. Furthermore, their transdermal carrier capabilities were demonstrated in multiple dye diffusion studies using porcine skin, verifying penetration of the carriers into the stratum corneum.

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Encapsulation and release by star‐shaped block copolymers as unimolecular nanocontainers

Cited by 35 publications

References 36 publications

Nano‐Star‐Shaped Polymers for Drug Delivery Applications

Nano‐Star‐Shaped Polymers for Drug Delivery Applications

Synthesis of a New Macroperoxy Initiator with Methyl Methacrylate and T-Butyl Peroxy Ester by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and Copolymerization with Conventional Vinyl Monomers

Synthesis of Amphiphilic Star Block Copolymers and Their Evaluation as Transdermal Carriers

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