Enzymatic synthesis of dextran-containing hydrogels

Abstract

Dextran, a natural glucose-containing polysaccharide, has been acylated by Proleather FG-F and lipase AY, a protease and lipase from Bacillus sp . and Candida rugosa, respectively, in anhydrous dimethylsulfoxide in the presence of vinyl acrylate (VA). The efficiency of the reaction in the presence of Proleather FG-F and the isolated yields were ca. 71% and 45%, respectively. Dextran derivatized with VA (dexT70-VA) was characterized by gel permeation chromatography and its structure was established by NMR indicating two positional isomers at the 2 and 3 positions on the glucose moieties in equal amounts. Furthermore, the dextran glucopyranose residues were mono-substituted. The benefits of the biocatalytic synthesis of dextran acrylates was demonstrated using 4-dimethylaminopyridine as a chemical catalyst. Gels were prepared by free radical polymerization of aqueous solutions of dexT70-VA with different degrees of substitution and monomer concentrations. Intermolecular linkages and physical entanglements are predominantly formed by concentrated solutions, however, a part of the acrylate groups did not react. Gel pore sizes were calculated from swelling experiments and ranged from ca. 18 to 182 Å.