Technical documentation

An alpha-cyanoacrylate may be formed by first condensing a cyanoacetate with paraformaldehyde or formaldehyde; reacting the polymer formed with an alcohol to transesterify the polymer; and depolymerizing the polymer to form alpha-cyanoacrylate monomers.

A process for the preparation of esters, including non-distillable esters, of 2-cyanoacrylic acid comprises reacting 2-cyanoacrylic acid or an acid halide thereof with an alcohol, including a diol or polyol, or a phenol in the presence of an inert organic solvent under polymerisation inhibiting conditions and, additionally, in the presence of an acid catalyst when 2-cyanoacrylic acid is a reactant, continually removing the water or hydrohalic acid produced and recovering the ester.

The formulations comprise an alkyl C1-C8 cyanoacrylate and an alkyl C1-C8 carboxyacrylate in a proportion from 10 to 30 % by volume with respect to the cyanoacrylate. The alkyl carboxyacrylate of formula (I) is a new product which is obtained from the corresponding cyanoacrylate by hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid. The compositions are packaged in independent containers the content of which is mixed not more than one hour before its use. It can be used in surgery as alternative means for the traditional suture and is specially appropriate in ophthalmics surgery.