A new method for the rapid preparation of chemically cross-linked hydrogels based on a multi-arm polyethylene glycol (PEG) bearing potassium acyl trifluoroborate (KAT) functional groups with multi-dentate amines is described. These scaffolds – prepared in aqueous buffer – give strong, transparent hydrogels. At pH 3, the gel formation is complete within seconds, and the reaction rate can be tuned by modulating the pH. Rheology measurements show that the hydrogel properties can be tuned as a function of both the weight percent of solids in the gel and the denticity of amine cross-linker, allowing for predictable formation of gels with desired traits. This process relies on a rapid amide-forming reaction of KATs and in situ generated N-chloroamines. Numerous commercially available amines, including di-, tri- and tetra-functional amines as well as peptides and carbohydrates serve as effective cross-linkers. Monodentate amines included in the gelation mixture are covalently linked into the gel matrix by amide-bonds, allowing gels containing immobilized molecules including dyes, sensors, or biotin amine, to be prepared in a single step from simple starting materials. The ability to induce gelation only upon addition of equimolar amounts of an inexpensive inducer (N-chlorosuccinimide) allows premixed components to be stored as an aqueous solution for weeks and converted to gels on demand.

中文翻译：

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来自伯胺和聚乙二醇酰基三氟硼酸酯（PEG-KAT）的共价官能化酰胺交联水凝胶†

描述了一种基于带有多齿胺的酰基三氟硼酸钾（KAT）官能团的多臂聚乙二醇（PEG）快速制备化学交联水凝胶的新方法。这些在水性缓冲液中制备的支架可提供牢固透明的水凝胶。在pH值为3时，凝胶的形成在数秒内完成，并且可以通过调节pH值来调节反应速率。流变学测量表明，可以根据凝胶中固体的重量百分比和胺交联剂的密度两者来调节水凝胶的性质，从而可预期地形成具有所需特性的凝胶。此过程依赖于KAT和原位生成的N的快速形成酰胺的反应-氯胺。许多可商购的胺，包括二，三和四官能胺以及肽和碳水化合物，都可以用作有效的交联剂。包含在凝胶混合物中的单齿胺通过酰胺键共价连接到凝胶基质中，从而允许从简单的起始原料一步一步制备包含固定分子（包括染料，传感器或生物素胺）的凝胶。仅当添加等摩尔量的廉价诱导剂（N-氯代琥珀酰亚胺）时，才具有诱导胶凝的能力，使得预混合的组分可以水溶液形式保存数周，并根据需要转化为凝胶。