Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Επιστήμη Πολυμερών και Εφαρμογές τηςLibrary of the School of Science
Supervisors info:
Ιατρού Ερμής, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Πιτσικάλης Μαρίνος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Σακελλαρίου Γιώργος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Original Title:
Σύνθεση, χαρακτηρισμός και ιδιότητες ομοπολυμερών πολυφαινυλαλανίνης και υβριδικών συμπολυμερών πολυαιθυλενοξειδίου, πολυϊστιδίνης και πολυφαινυλαλανίνης
Translated title:
Synthesis, characterization and properties of polyphenylalanine homopolymers and hybrid copolymers of polyethylene oxide, polyhistidine and polyphenylalanine
Summary:
In the present research project is presented the synthesis of two homopolymers, pentapolymer and decapolymer, based on L-phenylalanine, that synthesized through the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of the corresponding N-carboxyanhydride. For the synthesis of the well-defined homopolymers, the initiators were the secondary amine, dimethylamine. Furthermore, two copolymers PEO-b-PHis-b-Phe, with different amount of phenylalanine was achieved, using an amine end-functionalized poly (ethylene oxide) m-PEO-NH2 as macroinitiator. High-vacuum techniques were used for the synthesis of N-carboxy anhydrides of a-amino acids, for the purification of solvents and for the isolation of well-defined polymers as well, ensuring the high purity of the system. The successful synthesis of the polymers was confirmed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), as well as phasmatophotometer ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis). In addition, the relation between the secondary structure of the polypeptides and the pH and temperature was studied, using the technique of circular dichroism (CD). Finally, dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used, in order to investigate the ability of the polypeptides to self-assemble into micelles, as well as their size. The ultimate goal is to create novel hybrid drug delivery systems, which will be used for targeted and controlled drug release applications to treat cancer cells.
Main subject category:
Science
Keywords:
polypeptides, ring-opening polymerization, Ν-carboxy anhydrides, drug delivery, responsiveness
