Resorcinarene-Based Polymer Conjugated for Pharmaceutical Applications

Resorcinarenes are polyhydroxylated platforms consisting of 4, 5, 8, or more units of resorcinol. The numbers refer to the number of resorcinol units, with 4-unit platforms being the most stable. Investigation into their use in pharmaceutical applications has increased due to high versatility and functionalization. They exhibit significant flexibility due to their methylene bridges and to the interactions of hydrogen bridges and van der Waals forces. These platforms can be used in an increasing number of applications, which include the functionalization of nanoparticles and relevant materials, the synthesis of catalysts, the removal of contaminants, and analytical separations in analytes such as benzodiazepines and norepinephrine. For this last application, resorcinarenes are functionalized with specific important functional groups. Polymers were developed in the 20th century for the development of materials with significant improvements in thermal and mechanical properties. They are cross-linked polymeric structures, mainly made up of monomers such as styrene, divinylbenzene acrylate, vinylpyridine, and vinyl acetate, among others. They often have a homogeneous, porous structure, but this structure can vary significantly depending on the type of solvent used. Therefore, they have been applied in the functionalization of the polyhydroxylated platforms. In this review, the structure, properties, and synthesis of resorcinarenes, as well as the use of polymeric matrices, are analyzed, emphasizing the functionalization of organic polymers using resorcinarenes. Furthermore, the respective applications in controlled drug delivery, pharmaceutical transport, and therapeutics, which are diverse and show promising growth, will be explored.