Inventors:
Edward W. Merrill - Belmont MA
Diane Rintzler Yen - Arlington MA
Ambuj Sagar - Cambridge MA
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge MA
International Classification:
C08G 6926
Abstract:
Methods are provided for the synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) ("PEO") star macromolecules including functionalizable groups. In one embodiment, a core molecule including a plurality of dendritic branches or having a comb structure, and including a plurality of accessible reactive groups is reacted with functionalizable poly(ethylene oxide) ("PEO") molecules. The functionalizable poly(ethylene oxide) molecules include a reactive group capable of reacting with the reactive group on the core molecule, and a functionalizable group capable of being chemically modified, which optionally is protected. In the reaction, the PEO molecules are covalently attached to the core molecule, to form a PEO star macromolecule with terminal functionalizable groups. Preferably, the functionalizable PEO is a heterofunctional linear PEO which includes the reactive group at one terminus and the functionalizable group at the other terminus. The functionalizable groups on the PEO molecules then may be deprotected if necessary, and then further derivatized, for example, by the attachment of a biologically active molecule or polymer thereof.