Degradable "click" polyesters from erythritol having free hydroxyl groups

Click Cu(l)-catalysed polymerization and thermal polyaddition of diynes having ester linkages and 1,4-diazido-1,4-dideoxyerythritol were performed to obtain polyesters containing 1,2,3-triazole rings along the polymer chain. The resulting polyesters had weight-average molecular weights in the 13,000-37,000 range. Thermal studies revealed them to be mainly amorphous and stable up to 250 degrees C under nitrogen. The polymers are hydrophilic, several of them being water-soluble. Degradation studies of a water-soluble prototype polymer showed they are hydrolytically degradable. These studies were carried out at 37 degrees C in doubly distilled water and buffered salt solution at pH 7.4, and were monitored by GPC, and IR and NMR spectroscopies. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.