Low molecular weight ?-caprolactone-pcoumaric acid copolymers as potential biomaterials for skin regeneration applications

?-caprolactone-p-coumaric acid copolymers at different mole ratios (?-caprolactone:p-coumaric
acid 1:0, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1, and 2:1) were synthesized by melt-polycondensation and
using 4-dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid as catalyst. Chemical analysis by NMR and GPC
showed that copolyesters were formed with decreasing molecular weight as p-coumaric
acid content was increased. Physical characteristics, such as thermal and mechanical properties,
as well as water uptake and water permeability, depended on the mole fraction of pcoumaric
acid. The p-coumarate repetitive units increased the antioxidant capacity of the
copolymers, showing antibacterial activity against the common pathogen Escherichia coli.
In addition, all the synthesized copolyesters, except the one with the highest concentration
of the phenolic acid, were cytocompatible and hemocompatible, thus becoming potentially
useful for skin regeneration applications.