A series of novel AB
3-type monomers were prepared from nontoxic natural gal
lic acid and amino acids.These monomers were then melt-polycondensed in the presence of MgO as a catalyst via a transesterificationprocess at 170-190
C to yield the hyperbranched poly(ester-amide)s bearing terminal acetyl groups. FTIRand NMR spectra confirmed the structures of all the monomers and polymers. The degrees of branching,estimated from
1H NMR and quantitative
13C NMR spectra, were 0.50-0.68. These hyperbranched polymersdisplayed moderately high molecular weights. Hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation studies were carriedout in vitro at 37.5
C in NaOH hydrotropic solution and in Tris-HCl buffer (pH = 8.6) containing proteinaseK, respectively. The results indicate that the hyperbranched poly(ester-amide)s are degradable hydrolyticallyas well as enzymatically, and the rate of hydrolytic degradation increases with the pH value of the solution.