New 1,2,3-Triazole Containing Polyesters via Click Step-Growth Polymerization and Nanoparticles Made of Them

Abstract

High-molecular-weight AA-BB-type aliphatic polyesters were synthesized via Cu(I)-catalyzed click step-growth polymerization (SGP) following a new synthetic strategy. The synthesis was performed between diyne and diazide monomers in an organic solvent as one pot process using three components and two stages. The dipropargyl esters of dicarboxylic acids (component 1) were used as diyne monomers, di-(bromoacetic acid)-alkylene diesters (component 2) were used as precursors of diazide monomers, and sodium azide (component 3) was used for generating diazide monomers. The SGP was carried out in two steps: at Step 1 dibromoacetates interacted with two moles of sodium azide resulting in diazide monomers which interacted in situ with diyne monomers at Step 2 in the presence of Cu(I) catalyst. A systematic study was done for optimizing the multiparameter click SGP in terms of the solvent, duration of both Step 1 and Step 2, solution concentration, catalyst concentration, catalyst and catalyst activator (ligand) nature, catalyst/ligand mole ratio, and temperature of both steps of the click SGP. As a result, high-molecular-weight (MW up to 74 kDa) elastic film-forming click polyesters were obtained. The new polymers were found suitable for fabricating biodegradable nanoparticles, which are promising as drug delivery containers in nanotherapy.