Controllable selective enzymatic synthesis of N-acyl and O-acylpropranolol vinyl esters and preparation of polymeric prodrug of propranolol

Controllable selective synthesis strategy of polymerizable N-acyl and O-acylpropranolol vinyl derivatives was developed by enzyme-catalyzed acylation of propranolol using divinyl dicarboxylates with different carbon chain length as acyl donor. The influence of parameters including enzyme, solvents and chain length of acyl donor on the reaction was investigated in detail. Lipase AY30 in diisopropyl ether demonstrated high selectivity towards the amino group of propranolol, while lipase M from Mucor javanicus in dioxane acylated selectively the hydroxyl group of propranolol. N-Acylpropranolol (3a–3c) and O-acylpropranolol vinyl (4a–4c) derivatives were obtained successfully, and can be used for preparing functional macromolecular prodrugs of beta-blockers drugs. N-(Vinyladipoyl)propranolol (NVAP) was copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) using AIBN as initiator. The obtained polymeric prodrug was characterized with IR, NMR and GPC. The poly(NVAP-co-MMA) has Mn of 3.23 × 104, and Mw/Mn of 1.66.