Application of controlled polymerisation techniques to the synthesis of polymers for the biomedical industry

This thesis is a feasibility study into the application of controlled polymerisation techniques to the production of polymers for use in the biomedical industry and was funded by Biocompatibles Ltd. UK. The focus has been polymerisation of functional methacrylates of interest to contact lens design and in particular the synthesis of polymers with terminal unsaturation (macromonomers). Monomers investigated include tris(trimethylsiloxy)-3-methacryloxy propylsilane (TR1S), 2-(methacryloxyethyl)-2’-(trimethylammoniumethyl)phosphate (HEMA-PC), 2-(2’-hydroxy-5’-methacrylyloxyethylphenyl)-2H-benzotriazole (NORBLOC) and 2-(2-hydroxy-3-/er/-butyl-5-vinylphenyl)-5-chloro-2H-benzotriazole (UVAM). The polymerisation techniques investigated are conventional chain transfer using mercaptans, catalytic chain transfer polymerisation and transition metal mediated living radical polymersiation (TMM-LRP). The application of these polymerisation techniques to the monomers discussed has been successful but not without certain difficulties. The production of macromonomers by the first two methods is relatively well documented however there are no reports of macromonomer production via TMM-LRP and in this thesis several methods of end group functionalisation have been demonstrated