NOVEL HYDROPHILIC CYCLIC MONOMERS IN HYDROGEL SYNTHESIS

A range of hydrogels was prepared by the copolymerisation of 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with various hydrophilic cyclic monomers (CM ) derived from cis-1,2-dihydroxy-3,4-cyclohexadiene (DHCD). The specif ic systems investigated were the cis-1,2-bis(2,3-epoxybutanoyloxy)-, c is-1,2-bis(10,11-epoxyundecanoyloxy)- cis-1,2-bis(trimethylsiloxy)- an d is(tert-butyl-dimethylsiloxy)-3,5-cyclohexadienes. The EWC, tensile strength and initial modulus of the poly HEMA-CM hydrogels derived fro m the epoxy compounds showed lower EWCs but similar mechanical propert ies compared with polyHEMA itself. Treatment of the hydrogel derived f rom s-1,2-bis(2,3-epoxybutanoyloxy)-3,5-cyclohexadiene with 20% sodium hydroxide increased the EWC value markedly but produced highly fragil e materials. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.