Polymers with structure-defined functions

An artefact comprising an alternating copolymer comprising a backbone derived from a maleic anhydride compound and an alkene compound, wherein the backbone is the result of alternating radical copolymerisation of maleic anhydride compound with alkene compound, wherein the copolymer also comprises moieties of an active compound containing a nucleophilic group selected from an alcohol, thiol, isocyanate or amine group, bound to the backbone at the anhydride moiety by a moiety of the nucleophilic group, wherein the backbone is derived from maleic anhydride compounds (A) and alkene compounds (B):

• wherein at least one of a1 and a2 is an electron-withdrawing species while at least one of b1, b2, b3, and b4 is an electron-donating species or vice versa, wherein electron-withdrawing species a1 and a2 or b1, b2, b3 and b4 are selected from alka(poly)alkenyl, C 6-10 aryl, C 1-24 alkoxyl, C 1-24 alkylthio, C 1-6 alkanoyloxy, C 1-6 alkoxycarbonyl, all of which may be substituted with an electron-withdrawing substituent;
• and wherein electron-donating species b1, b2, b3 and b4 or a1 and a2 as appropriate, include C 1-6 alkyl which can have a linear or branched structure and C 4cycloalkyl.

An artefact comprising a medical device selected from a solid medical implant device or scaffold, a solid medical device suitable for management of the body as an implant inside the body, or outside the body, and a medical device for cell attachment and directed cell movement, comprising an alternating copolymer comprising a backbone derived from a maleic anhydride compound and an alkene compound, wherein the backbone is the result of alternating radical copolymerisation of maleic anhydride compound with alkene compound, wherein the copolymer also comprises moieties of an active compound containing a nucleophilic group selected from an alcohol, thiol, isocyanate or amine group, bound to the backbone at the anhydride moiety by a moiety of the nucleophilic group, wherein the copolymer is a poly(amic acid).

A method for manufacturing a medical device for cell attachment and directed cell movement comprising a poly(amic acid) alternating copolymer having poly(imide) moieties, comprising a backbone derived from a maleic anhydride compound and an alkene compound, wherein the backbone is the result of alternating radical copolymerisation of maleic anhydride compound with alkene compound, wherein the copolymer also comprises moieties of an active compound containing a amine nucleophilic group bound to the backbone at the anhydride moiety by a moiety of the nucleophilic group, said method comprising:

• (1) laser heating the poly(amic acid) alternating copolymer to create chemical modifications and designate surface characteristics on a micrometer scale to designate areas allowing or disallowing cell attachment, or
• (2) laser heating the poly(amic acid) alternating copolymer to create chemical modifications and thereby create a surface design or internally created design in two or three dimensions.