Pdmaema/polyester miktopolymers: Synthesis via in-out approach, physicochemical characterization and enzymatic degradation

Synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and the enzymatic degradation of the am-phiphilic miktoarm star-shaped polymers is reported herein. First, star-shaped macroinitiators, based on N,N^′-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and glycerol dimethacrylate (GDMA) ((PDMAEMA)_n-PGDMA), were synthesized. Due to the presence of hydroxyl groups in the macroini-tiator core, polyesters such as poly(ε-caprolactone) (P(ε-CL)), polylactide (PLA) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were synthesized using ring opening polymerization (ROP). Comprehensive degradation studies on enzymatic degradation, using a lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia, were per-formed. Enzymatic degradation was monitored by weight measurements and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹ H NMR). The fastest degradation rate was observed for the polymer with the lowest molecular weight. Amphiphilic miktopolymers may find application as biomaterials for long-or mid-term period drug-delivery systems.