Controlled synthesis of polyester-based polyphenols via living ring-opening polymerization of novel O-benzyl-l-dopa carboxyanhydrides

Abstract

The development of facile synthetic strategies to prepare well-defined biodegradable polyphenol-functionalized polymers remains a great challenge. Herein, we report novel O-carboxyanhydrides derived from levodopa and subsequent controlled ring-opening polymerization to form polyester-based polyphenols with adjustable structure. The resultant polymers showed different antioxidant abilities thanks to the unique properties of polyphenols, highlighting their potential applications in disease treatment such as against inflammation. Moreover, the polymers could form stable structures based on metal-free amine/thiol–quinone “click” crosslinking reactions, which facilitates their potential as drug carriers. Therefore, this versatile technique provides a broad-reaching method for structurally controllable biodegradable polyphenol-functionalized polymers.