Synthesis of Novel Degradable Polymers for Tissue Engineering by Radical Polymerization : Synthesis and characterization of 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane and copolymerization thereof with vinyl acetate followed by polymer characterization and hydrolysis

Abstract: The commercial field of radical polymerized polymers, such as polyvinyl alcohol, is very broad partly because they are easy to polymerize and cheap. One aspect that could improve their commercial range is to enhance their degradation rate. As the environmental aspect of polymers grows bigger an enhancement of biological degradation is a great improvement. This thesis deals with the prospect of polymerizing polyvinyl alcohol with degradable linkages in the main chain. In order to achieve the aim the monomer 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane is successfully synthesized and characterized. The synthesis is followed by copolymerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane with vinylacetate at the feed compositions; 30/70, 50/50, 70/30 mol% respectively. The copolymerization was successful and reached over 90% conversion at the reaction time 3-4 hours with the conditions 60°C and 5mol% 2,2-Azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) as initiator. The copolymerization is followed by hydrolysis with potassium hydroxide or Candida Rugosa Lipase. The results show that chain scission occurs when the polymer is hydrolyzed by potassium hydroxide but not by lipase. There is also a tendency toward hydrolysis of the chain with lipase.