Influence of a diene impurity on the molecular structure of phosphate-containing polymers with medical applications.

We have demonstrated that the unacknowledged presence of almost 30% diene impurity in some commercial phosphate monomers had not only a significant effect on the molecular structure (topology) of a series of synthesized polymers but the instability of the ester functionalities during these polymerizations resulted in unexpectedly complex co-polymer chemistry.