Abstract
We have synthesized various types of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-ibuprofen conjugates by the nucleophilic substitution of bromo-terminated PEG with ibuprofen-Cs salt; PN (Pluronic) was also used in place of PEG. All the bromo-terminated PEGs and PN were obtained in high yield. Conversions of the terminal hydroxyl groups to bromo-termini were quantitative, as were the drug conjugation processes. The Ι$_1$/Ι$_3$values obtained from solutions of the ibuprofen-conjugated prodrugs are summarized in relation to those of ibuprofen in water and in aqueous solutions of the original PEG, PN, and several ordinary surfactants. We believe that the fully hydrophilic PEG is completely hydrated and forms no hydrophobic pocket by segment aggregation. These results indicate that the probe environment is significantly hydrophobic, particularly in the solution of prodrug PN, for which the ratio is similar to that obtained from typical micelles of surfactants. The results suggest, therefore, that the present synthetic method is very useful for preparing PEG-based prodrugs from pharmaceuticals having carboxyl functionalities.