Abstract
The geometry of several alkyl malolactonate monomers was investigated by NMR and semiempirical computational methods. The results obtained by both techniques indicated that the geometry of the malolactone ring is almost independent of the nature of the side ester group. 13C NMR analysis of the polymer backbone stereochemistry ruled out the occurrence of stereoelective processes in the polymerization of racemic monomers. The observed influence of the bulkiness of the alkyl group on the polymerization rate was therefore attributed to steric interactions between this group and the polymer growing-end. Preliminary in-vitro investigation of cell adhesion and proliferation on the surface of homopolymers and copolymers of the investigated alkyl malolactonates suggested a possible correlation between polymer hydrophobicity and biocompatibility. Optical micrograph of 3T3 cells grown on poly(alkyl malolactonate) film.
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