Glycofunctionalization of Poly(lactic- co-glycolic acid) Polymers: Building Blocks for the Generation of Defined Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles.

A set of poly(lactic- co-glycolic acid) polymers functionalized with different monosaccharides as well as glycodendrimers and surface-decorated nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and characterized. The functionalization of the polymer was carried out through amide bond formation with amino-modified sugar monomers and through a biocompatible chemoselective method exploiting the reducing end of a free sugar. The assemblage of the NPs adopting a nanoprecipitation method was straightforward and allowed the preparation of sugars/sugar dendrimer coated NPs.