Advances in amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymers with an aliphatic hyperbranched 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid-based polyester core

Because of a highly branched architecture and a large number of functional groups on the molecular periphery, biodegradable and commercially available aliphatic hyperbranched 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid-based polyesters have a wide variety of applications in coatings, additives, tougheners, hybrid materials, drug carriers, and macromolecular building blocks. One of the most interesting applications is the synthesis of amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymers with an aliphatic hyperbranched 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid-based polyester core. In this Review, developments in the synthesis of amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymers are presented in terms of Boltorn™ Hx (x = 20, 30, 40), a series of commercial aliphatic hyperbranched polyesters. Applications include drug delivery, transfection, bio-imaging, and nanoparticle preparation. Challenges and perspectives for future developments are discussed as well.