Catechol-Based Antimicrobial Polymers

Abstract

Catechol is a key constituent in mussel adhesive proteins and is responsible for strong adhesive property and crosslinking formation. Plant-based polyphenols are also capable of chemical interactions similar to those of catechol and are inherently antimicrobial. This review reports a series of catechol-based antimicrobial polymers classified according to their antimicrobial mechanisms. Catechol is utilized as a surface anchoring group for adhering monomers and polymers of known antimicrobial properties onto various types of surfaces. Additionally, catechol’s ability to form strong complexes with metal ions and nanoparticles was utilized to sequester these antimicrobial agents into coatings and polymer matrices. During catechol oxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) is generated as a byproduct, and the use of the generated ROS for antimicrobial applications was also introduced. Finally, polymers that utilized the innate antimicrobial property of halogenated catechols and polyphenols were reviewed.

Integrating Antioxidant Functionality into Polymer Materials: Fundamentals, Strategies, and Applications

“…Antioxidant activity is important to protecting oxidation-prone materials in industrial applications, including as additives to commercial plastics and corrosion-resistant coatings; − however, the vulnerability of complex biological environments in food and the body encourages the design of materials with more precise control of antioxidant activity. A diverse set of properties associated with polyphenols, including low toxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral activity, led to their wide applications in materials for food packaging and biomedical engineering, which have been reviewed extensively. ,− After summarizing the mechanisms of polyphenolic antimicrobial activity necessary for further discussions, the following chapter will focus mainly on novel applications of polyphenols as antioxidant species within polymer materials, while briefly mentioning complementary properties that are relevant to the specified application.…”

A Synthetic Overview of Preparation Protocols of Nonmetallic, Contact‐Active Antimicrobial Quaternary Surfaces on Polymer Substrates

“…[ 55,56 ] Of particular relevance here is that a range of inherently antimicrobial catechol‐modified polymers have been reported. [ 57 ] Deposition of a catechol solution on a substrate, typically dopamine, followed by exposure to oxygen leads to the formation of a strongly adherent polydopamine film on the surface. The resulting film can be functionalized using a wide range of chemistries (see below).…”

Synthesis of Catechol Derived Rosamine Dyes and Their Reactivity toward Biogenic Amines

“…Catechols are biologically reactive molecules that are widespread in nature and largely used in biomedicine and nanotechnology [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Catechol-functionalized molecules and materials are involved in many areas of chemistry and materials science [ 4 ], especially for producing: (i) metallopolymer networks for water purification [ 5 ]; (ii) adhesive functional hydrogels for biomedical applications [ 6 ]; and (iii) polymers with antimicrobial properties [ 7 ]. Catechols can be easily oxidized via autoxidation in the presence of molecular oxygen, photooxidation, or through the addition of chemical agents or enzymatic oxidants [ 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”