Synthesis of morpholine-2,5-dione derivative copolymer and its degradation in vitro

In this experiment we prepared the copolymer of L-lactide (L-LA) and (3s)-[(benzyloxycarbonyl) methyl] morpholine-2,5-dione (BMD) using tin(II)-octanoate initiated ring-opening copolymerization. The maximum relative number-average molecular weight of copolymer was over 8.0×104. The degradation study proceeded in vitro and poly(L-lactide-co-glycollide) used as the control sample. Changes in mass and molecular weight were studied during the immersion in buffer solutions [phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS), pH = 7.4] at 37°C. The hydrolytic degradation of both the morpholine-2,5-dione derivative copolymer and the control sample were completed in 3 months. A palladium on charcoal catalyst [Pd/C (5%)] was used as the catalyzer for hydrogenolysis. 1H-NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) analysis and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to investigate the degree of the hydrogenolysis of the copolymer with different. The contact angle showed that the biodegradable copolymer had good hydrophilicity. These findings suggested that this copolymer would have a high potential application for pharmaceutical products. © Higher Education Press 2007.