Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 28, Issue 15, 2024

Functionalized polynorbornenes are very important specialty materials for a wide variety of practical and industrial applications. In the membrane technology field, polynorbonene derivatives play a main role in gas transport since they can be systematically and easily functionalized, thus affecting the membrane performance in gas separation processes. Thus, several methodologies have been employed to yield macromolecular architectures with tailored gas permeation properties. This review is intended to provide different synthesis routes of substituted polynorbornenes as well as the effects of the polymer chemical structures on their gas permeation properties, among others.

The most economical and efficient route to prepare polypeptides from synthetic chemistry is through the Ring-opening Polymerization (ROP) of amino acids using Ncarboxyanhydride (NCA) monomers. Peptide polymers, in contrast to proteins, consist of repeated amino acid units and are comparatively simpler macromolecules. Despite their simplicity, these polypeptides offer a unique combination of beneficial traits found in both synthetic polymers (such as solubility, processability, and rubber elasticity) and natural proteins (including secondary structure, functionality, and biocompatibility). Nevertheless, NCA polymerization faces significant challenges, including intricate monomer purification and the necessity for processing toxic solvents. In this context, this review presents the fundamental principles of this polymer chemistry, the synthesis of NCA monomers, and the different methodologies to access polypeptides by ROP. It also explores the most recent advances in this field of research, with a focus on how new methods enable the use of more reactive initiators and the development of original processes, including the use of aqueous solvents.

Recently, pharmaceutical industries have placed considerable emphasis on formulating drug delivery systems that precisely target specific sites, optimize drug utilization, minimize excipient usage, and mitigate side effects. Smart polymers hold tremendous promise in the design of innovative formulations tailored to deliver drugs with enhanced precision, efficacy, and therapeutic benefits while minimizing adverse effects. Within drug delivery, smart polymers demonstrate exceptional potential in achieving controlled and targeted release profiles, ensuring drug delivery to specific receptors, and minimizing offtarget effects. This comprehensive review article focuses on the latest developments in smart polymers, primarily in the domains of drug delivery. By intelligently responding to external stimuli, smart polymer-based materials offer various applications, making them pivotal in modern pharmaceutical research. By utilizing the remarkable attributes of smart polymers, researchers and industry stakeholders can forge a path toward personalized, efficient, and patient-centric therapies with reduced side effects, propelling the pharmaceutical field into an era of unprecedented advancements.

Photoresponsive polymers have emerged as innovative tools in the domain of drug delivery, presenting advanced solutions for controlled and targeted release of therapeutic agents. This review explores recent advances in the design and application of photoresponsive polymers, focusing on their pivotal role in light-triggered drug delivery systems. It also encompasses organic synthesis methodologies, key advancements in polymer design, and the integration of photoresponsive elements into drug carriers. Moreover, this review also focuses on the applications, challenges, and future prospects, providing a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of light-responsive drug delivery technologies. The information about the synthesis presented herein aims to contribute to the understanding and advancement of this dynamic field, offering insights for researchers and practitioners engaged in the development of next-generation drug delivery systems.

The usage of nanoparticles in tissue engineering applications has increased significantly in the last several years. Functional tissues are developed by regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration on nanostructured scaffolds containing cells. These scaffolds provide an environment that is more structurally supportive than the microarchitecture of natural bone. Given its exceptional properties, such as its osteogenic potential, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, chitosan is a good and promising biomaterial. Unfortunately, chitosan's low mechanical strength makes it unsuitable for load-bearing applications. By mixing chitosan with other biomaterials, this drawback might be mitigated. Bone tissue engineering uses both bioresorbable materials like tricalcium phosphate and bioactive materials like hydroxyapatite and bioglass. Alumina and titanium are examples of bioinert materials that are part of these bioceramics. When produced at nanoscale scales, these materials have a larger surface area and better cell adhesion. This review paper will go into great detail on the bioinert, bioresorbable, and bioactive nanoceramics-reinforced chitosan scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

As natural capping reagents, flaxseed gel, caprylic/capric triglyceride, aloe vera, and propylene glycol were utilized in the synthesis of ZnO-NPs in the current study. The synthesized ZnO NPs structure was characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The prepared ZnO-NPs were used as an efficient catalyst for the production of a new series of fused polynuclear heterocyclic system-based imidazoquinazoline by multicomponent reaction. The reaction was initiated by mixing 2-aminobenzimidazole, aryl/hetaryl aldehydes, and betanaphthol under solvent-free conditions at 60-70°C in the presence of a catalytic amount of the synthesized ZnO-NPs. As demonstrated by molecular docking, the prepared ligands (4, 7, 8, 9, and 11) exhibited outstanding validation as aurora kinase inhibitors in comparison to AKI-001, the prototype pentacyclic inhibitor.