2‐Methyltetrahydrofuran (2‐MeTHF) as a versatile green solvent for the synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers via ROP, FRP, and RAFT tandem polymerizations

Englezou, Georgia; Kortsen, Kristoffer; Pacheco, Ana A. C.; Cavanagh, Robert; Lentz, Joachim C.; Krumins, Eduards; Sanders?Velez, Carlos; Howdle, Steven M.; Nedoma, Alisyn J.; Taresco, Vincenzo

Abstract

2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (2‐MeTHF) is a readily available, inexpensive, neoteric, bio‐based solvent. It has been adopted across a wide range of chemical processes including the batch manufacture of fine chemicals, enzymatic polycondensations and ring opening polymerizations. To reduce the environmental burden related to the synthesis of pharmaceutical‐grade polymers based on lactide and caprolactone, we envisaged the use of 2‐MeTHF. For the first time, we combined a series of metal‐free and enzymatic ROPs with free radical and controlled RAFT polymerizations (carried out separately and in tandem) in 2‐MeTHF, in order to easily tune the chemistry and the architecture of the final polymers. After a simple purification, the amphiphilic polymers were formulated into nanoparticles and tested for their cytocompatibility in three model cell lines, to assess their application as potential polymeric excipients for nanomedicines.

Citation

Englezou, G., Kortsen, K., Pacheco, A. A. C., Cavanagh, R., Lentz, J. C., Krumins, E., Sanders‐Velez, C., Howdle, S. M., Nedoma, A. J., & Taresco, V. (2020). 2‐Methyltetrahydrofuran (2‐MeTHF) as a versatile green solvent for the synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers via ROP, FRP, and RAFT tandem polymerizations. Journal of Polymer Science, 58(11), 1571-1581. https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20200183

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 6, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Apr 20, 2020
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Apr 23, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 21, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Polymer Science
• Print ISSN: 2642-4169
• Electronic ISSN: 2642-4169
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 58
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 1571-1581
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20200183
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4329190
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pol.20200183