Non-isocyanate poly(hydroxyurethanes)s and polycarbonates derived from N-substituted eight membered cyclic carbonates

Abstract

The scope of this PhD thesis was aimed at exploring the versatility of the N-substituted eight membered cyclic carbonate platforms. Through this thesis work, cyclic carbonates were utilized as starting materials to prepare both polycarbonates and poly(hydroxyurethane)s. Furthermore, we synthesized gels from these monomers and studied them in two separate applications (antibacterial hydrogels and electrophysiology). The gels prepared in this thesis work were found to be effective against different bacteria, including: E. coli and S. aureus. In a separate application, polycarbonate ion gels were prepared by ring opening polymerization of our cyclic carbonate monomers in the presence of ionic liquids. These materials were incorporated into electrodes that were then later used to take heartbeat recordings. Lastly, eight membered cyclic carbonates with allyl groups were synthesized and polymerized via ROP. The allyl groups were then modified with a variety of thiols to add different functionalities to the polymer structure. The N-substituted eight membered cyclic carbonate platform is a rather new compared to its smaller cousins, and this thesis work demonstrated it has great potential.