Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Polymer Science, LINEAR POLY(ETHYLENE IMINE)S, GENE DELIVERY, NONIONIC HYDROGEL, IN-VITRO, SELECTIVE HYDROLYSIS, CHELATING PROPERTIES, ACID-HYDROLYSIS, POLY(2-ETHYL-2-OXAZOLINE), 2-METHYL-2-OXAZOLINE, COPOLYMERIZATION, 0303 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, 0307 Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, 3403 Macromolecular and materials chemistry, 3406 Physical chemistry, 4018 Nanotechnology

Abstract:

The synthesis of linear polyethylenimine (L-PEI) is mostly performed via the acidic or basic hydrolysis of poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)s (PAOx). Besides full hydrolysis leading to L-PEI, the partial hydrolysis of the PAOx sidechains results in PAOx-PEI copolymers having secondary amine groups in the polymer backbone. The secondary amine groups of L-PEI and PAOx-PEI can act as charge carrier for the complexation of DNA for gene therapy. Furthermore, they are also excellent chemical moieties for post-polymerization modification reactions providing straightforward acces to new PAOx (co)polymers based on a variety of PAOx, including the commercially available poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx). Within this review, we will discuss the acidic and basic (partial) hydrolysis of PAOx as well as the corresponding mechanisms. In addition, an overview is provided of the recent literature on the post-polymerization modification of the fully hydrolyzed L-PEI and the partially hydrolyzed PAOx-PEI.