Poly(2‐oxazoline)s and Related Pseudo‐Polypeptides

Abstract

Poly(2-oxazoline)s and related pseudo-polypeptides (mostly N-substituted polypeptides, so-called polypeptoids) are emerging as advanced synthetic biomaterials because they are quite readily available, their chemical structures and physical properties can be precisely controlled and adjusted, and they have excellent biocompatibility. These materials were shown to have great potential for usage especially in biomedical and life science applications. In fact, hydrophilic poly(2-oxazoline)s are emerging to substitute poly(ethylene glycol), the “gold” standard in biomedical applications. Yet, however, only poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – just as a food contact agent; currently the main limitation for wide-spread industrial research on poly(2-oxazoline) based biomaterials and therapeutics. This Special Issue of Macromolecular Rapid Communications is devoted to the recent advances in poly(2-oxazoline) and polypeptoid chemistry and applications highlighting this rapidly expanding field of research. It contains in total two reviews, three feature articles, and seven short communications. The reviews by Vincent Lapinte et al. and Rainer Jordan et al. focus on the synthetic strategies toward functionalized poly(2-oxazolines)s and the use of poly(2-oxazoline)s as polymer therapeutics. The three feature articles discuss the synthesis of poly(2-oxazoline) hydrogels (Frank Wiesbrock et al.), the use of poly(2-oxazoline)s in biomedical applications (Martin Hruby et al.) and non-fouling surface coatings (Rupert Konradi et al.). Three communications describe the solution behavior of poly(2-oxazoline)s in aqueous solution (Jörg C. Tiller et al., Martin Hruby et al., and Niels ten Brummelhuis et al.), including the formation of thermoresponsive nanoparticles and the tuning of cloud points by the addition of Hofmeister salts. Another two articles report the formation of poly(2-oxazoline) hydrogel monoliths via thiol-ene coupling (Tim Dargaville et al.) as well as the use of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) as matrix excipient for drug formulation via holt melt extrusion and injection molding (Bruno de Geest et al.). The final two contributions from Robert Luxenhofer et al. deal with the living/controlled synthesis and characterization of polypeptoid block copolymers. We would like to express our thanks to all the contributors to this Special Issue. We hope that the articles not only demonstrate the versatility of poly(2-oxazoline)s and polypeptoids but also stimulate further developments in the field, both synthetically as well as with regard to applications. Enjoy reading!