Fragmentable bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane cationic materials and their applications to nucleic acid delivery and antimicrobial function

Abstract

The goal of the research reported in this thesis is to investigate reversible bond formation in bicyclo[3.3.1] system through anchimeric assistance and use that as building blocks to assemble functional cationic materials, with both low and high molecular weights, linear and hyperbranched architecture. The degradability/fragmentability of the resulting materials could be easily tuned based on physical organic fundamental principles. The application of them in gene delivery demonstrated comparable efficiency to commercial available standards. The materials also demonstrated desired broad spectrum antimicrobial activity with less likelihood of resistance development and potential to be used as antimicrobial coating. With more optimization, this new type of cationic material is promising to achieve goals traditional polycation could not.