Solvent-assisted anionic ring opening polymerization of glycidol: Toward medium and high molecular weight hyperbranched polyglycerols

Hyperbranched polyglycerols (HPGs) are globular structures with a large number of functionalizable hydroxyl groups and have excellent in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility profiles comparable to polyethylene glycol. This work introduces a facile method for the synthesis of medium molecular weights (Mws) (50300 kDa) HPGs, which has been difficult to synthesize with low polydispersity, with the assistance of solvents by ring opening polymerization. The influence of different solvents (1,4-dioxane, tetrahydropyran (THP), ethylene glycol diethyl ether (EGDE) and decane), solvent to glycidol ratio, concentration of glycidol and the time of polymerization on Mw and polydispersity of HPGs has been studied. The Mw and polydispersity of HPGs are significantly affected by the nature of the polymerization phase (homogeneous or heterogeneous) and chemical structure of the solvent. The differences in the solvation of the potassium cations and change in the nucleophilicity of the alkoxide anion in various solvents may be responsible for the changes in Mw and PDI of the HPG. The Mw of the HPG decreases in the order 1,4-dioxane>THEGDE >decane. The microstructure, solution and thermal properties of the HPG do not depend on the nature of solvent. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 26142621