The Synthesis of Some Potentiallly Blood Compatible Heparin-like Polymeric Biomaterials

Abstract

When artificial polymeric implants are used in the human body, one of the most important factors is the blood compatibility. The polymeric biomaterials reported here were prepared by the cycloaddition reaction of chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI) to unsaturated polymers, such as polybutadiene or polyisoprene, to give a poly(N-chlorosulfonyl beta-lactam) structure which could then be hydrolyzed to give a polyanionic polymer that contains sulfamate and carboxylate groups. Previous researchers have shown that this type of material can be used as an artificial anti-coagulant with activities fairly similar to those of bovine plasma, but somewhat lower than heparin. These polymeric compounds have many of the same functional groups that are found in heparin, and might be expected to behave in a manner similar to heparinized polymers. Unfortunately, most of the previously reported research on these heparinoids has involved water soluble polyelectrolytes which would not be useful as a potential blood vessel prosthesis. Our research has concentrated upon the use of partially reacted, insoluble polymeric systems, and lightly crosslinked polymers which might retain much of the anticoagulant properties found in the polyelectrolytes, but might also be usable as replacement blood vessels.