Dendritic polymers composed of glycerol and succinic acid: Synthetic methodologies and medical applications
N. R. Luman, T. Kim, and M. W. Grinstaff
Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering,
Metcalf Center for Science and Engineering, Boston University, Boston,
MA 02215, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical
Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Abstract: Research on dendrimers continues to expand as further
advances in synthetic methodology and characterization techniques translate
to additional applications. Recently, dendritic polymers composed of
the natural metabolites glycerol and succinic acid were synthesized,
functionalized, and evaluated as new medical materials. The design and
synthesis of poly(glycerol-succinic acid) dendritic polymers are discussed,
including comparing and contrasting the convergent versus the divergent
methodologies for preparing such macromolecules. Finally, a photocrosslinkable
dendritic macromolecule was prepared and successfully used to close
linear corneal lacerations as well as to secure LASIK flaps.
*Lecture presented at the symposium "Controlling the self assembly in macromolecular systems: From nature to chemistry to functional properties", as part of the 39th IUPAC Congress and 86th Conference of the Canadian Society for Chemistry: Chemistry at the Interfaces, Ottawa, Canada, 10-15 August 2003. Other Congress presentations are published in this issue, pp. 1295-1603.
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