A lactose-containing monomer, N-(2-lactosylethyl)acrylamide, was synthesized and polymerized with N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide and 1 wt % of N, N'-methylenebis(acrylamide) and potassium persulfate as the initiator to produce hydrogels. The weight percent of N-(2-lactosylethyl)acrylamide were increased from 0 to 100% in increments of 10%. Hydrogels were successfully produced with up to 90 wt % of N-(2-lactosylethyl)acrylamide. Gelation was confirmed by inverted vial tests and rheology measurements. The as-prepared hydrogels were used for papain stabilization against heat burden and papain that was loaded into hydrogels showed 45% more activity after heating as compared to papain that was heated without hydrogel stabilization. This hydrogel stabilization technique has potential applications in preserving enzyme activity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 2507–2514

Covalently crosslinked polyurethane/urea polymers were synthesized using diamine monomers modified with pendant glucose groups and 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane (triol) comonomers. The polymers showed shape memory behavior with a switching temperature dependent on the glass transition temperature. The glass transition temperature is tuned by varying the mole ratio between the glucose-diamine and PEG used in the polymerization. Increasing PEG content resulted in decreasing glass transition temperature, and a glass transition temperature of 39 °C, close to physiological temperatures, was obtained. The fixed shape showed gradual shape recovery behavior, but a fixity of 70% was achieved when the material was stored at 25 °C. The polymer recovered to the permanent shape when heated to 50 °C. Finally, the surface of a film of the polymer can be sulfated to achieve increased blood-compatibility without sacrificing the shape memory properties. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 2252–2257

The synthesis of a glycosaminoglycan polymer mimetic is reported. An isopropylidene protected glucose methacrylate monomer was copolymerized under reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization control with an azido-containing comonomer to a molecular weight of 29 000 g mol⁻¹ with polydispersity of 1.21. The comonomer ratio was determined to be 15:1 based on ¹H NMR spectroscopy. This copolymer was coupled to sugar-functionalized N-alkyl-N,N-linked urea oligomers using a copper catalyzed alkyne/azide cycloaddition reaction. The reaction efficiency was 100% as monitored by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The isopropylidene protecting groups on the polymer and N-alkyl-N,N-linked urea oligomers were removed using acid hydrolysis to give the final polysaccharide mimetic. It is expected that these polymers will have applications in a variety of future therapeutic applications. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry