SYNTHESIS AND INVERSE EMULSION POLYMERIZATION OF AMINATED ACRYLAMIDODEXTRAN

A chemically modified form of dextran was prepared, having a polymeriz able moiety (acrylamide) and a reactive functional group (primary amin e). Dextran was activated with 4-nitrophenyl-chloroformate (24 mol per polysaccharide, 9.8 mol per 100 glucose residues); 9.8% glucose resid ues were converted to aliphatic carbonates and 5.2% were converted to cyclic carbonates. The activated dextran was coupled with trityldiamin oethane (8 mol per 100 glucose residues), reactivated with 4-nitrophen ylchloro-formate, then coupled with acryloamidodiaminohexane (6.8 mol per 100 glucose residues). The trityl group was removed by hydrolysis with trifluoroacetic acid to yield the required animated acryloamidode xtran. The modified dextran was shown to be polymerizable by inverse e mulsion polymerization. Submicron particles were successfully prepared , containing functional amine groups suitable for preparing drug conju gates or for modifying the surface properties of the biomaterial.