Water-processable silicone-containing prepolymers and uses thereof

1. A silicone hydrogel contact lens obtained by curing a lens forming formulation including a water-processable prepolymer which comprises:

(1) polysiloxane-containing crosslinking units, wherein the polysiloxane-containing crosslinking units are derived from at least one hydrophilized polysiloxane crosslinker and/or chain-extended hydrophilized polysiloxane crosslinker of formula (7) or (8);

(2) hydrophilic monomeric units derived from one or more hydrophilic vinylic monomers;

(3) from about 0.05% to about 5% by weight of polymerizable units each having a pendant or terminal, ethylenically-unsaturated group and free of any polysiloxane segment; and

(4) optionally hydrophobic units derived from at least one hydrophobic vinylic monomer free of silicone,

in which

d2, d3, d4, ω1, ω2, and ω3 independent of one another are an integer from 0 to 20;

e3, e4, e5, e6, e7, υ1, υ2, υ3, υ4, and υ5 independent of one other are 0, 1, 2 or 3 and (e3+e4+e5+e6+e7)≧1 and (υ1+υ2+υ3+υ4+υ5)≧1;

X 1 is hydrogen or methyl;

D 3 , D 4 , D 5 , D 6 , D 7 , D 8 , D 9 , and D 10 independently of one other are a divalent group of formula (9)

in which Y 28 is as defined below, A 8 , A 8 ′, A 9 , and A 9 ′ independent of one other are a direct bond, a linear or branched C 1 -C 10 alkylene divalent radical, —(CH 2 CH 2 O) r1 —CH 2 CH 2 — in which r1 is an integer of 1 to 20, or a C 1 -C 7 alkyleneoxy-C 1 -C 7 alkylene divalent radical, and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 1 ′, R 2 ′, R 3 ′, R 4 ′, R 5 ′, R 6 ′, R 7 ′, and R 8 ′ independently of one another, are C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, -alk-(OCH 2 CH 2 ) r2 —OR 9 in which alk is C 1 -C 6 -alkylene divalent radical, R 9 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl and r2 is an integer from 1 to 20, f1 is an integer of 0 to 8, m1, m2, p1 and p2 independently of each other are an integer of from 0 to 150, (m1+p1) and (m2+p2) independent of each other are from 2 to 150;

L 4 , L 5 , L 6 , L 7 , L 8 , L 9 , L 10 , L 11 , L 12 , L 13 , L 14 , L 15 , L 16 , L 17 , Y 8 , Y 9 , Y 10 , Y 11 , Y 12 , Y 13 , Y 14 , Y 15 , Y 16 , Y 17 , Y 18 , Y 19 , Y 20 , Y 21 , Y 22 , Y 23 , Y 24 , Y 25 , Y 26 , Y 27 , and Y 28 independent of one another are a direct bond or a divalent radical of —Z 1 —X 2 —Z 2 —X 3 —Z 3 —X 4 —Z 4 — In which X 2 , X 3 and X 4 independent of one other are a linkage selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, —O—, —NR′— in which R′ is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl, —C(O)—NH—, —NH—C(O)—, —NH—C(O)—NH—, —O—C(O)—NH—, —S—, —NH—C(O)—O—, —C(O)—O—, —O—C(O)—, —NH—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—NH—, —O—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—O—, —O—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—NH—, and —NH—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—O—, Z 0 is a linear or branched C 2 -C 12 alkylene divalent radical or a C 5 -C 45 cycloaliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic divalent radical optionally containing therein one or more linkages of —O—, —NR′—, —S— and —C(O)—, Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 independent of one other are is a direct bond, a linear or branched C 1 -C 12 alkylene divalent radical optionally containing therein one or more linkages of —O—, —NR′—, —S— and —C(O)—, a divalent radical of —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 — or —(CH 2 CH 2 O) r1 —CH 2 CH 2 — with r1 as defined above, or a C 5 -C 45 cycloaliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic divalent radical optionally containing therein one or more linkages of —O—, —NR′—, —S— and —C(O)—;

B 5 , B 6 , B 7 , B 8 , B 9 , B 10 , B 11 , B 12 , B 13 , and B 14 independent of one another are hydroxyl or a linear or 3-arm hydrophilic polymer chain having a molecular weight of about 10000 Daltons or less and comprising at least about 60% by weight of one or more hydrophilic monomeric units selected from the group consisting of ethyleneoxide units, (meth)acrylamide units, C 1 -C 3 alkyl (meth)acrylamide units, di-(C 1 -C 3 alkyl) (meth)acrylamide units, N-vinylpyrrole units, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone units, 2-vinyloxazoline units, 4-vinylpyridine units, mono-C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, mono-(meth)acryloyl terminated polyethyleneglycol units having a molecular weight of 600 Daltons or less, di(C 1 -C 3 alkyl amino)(C 2 -C 4 alkyl) (meth)acrylate units, N—C 1 -C 4 alkyl-3-methylene-2-pyrrolidone units, N—C 1 -C 4 alkyl-5-methylene-2-pyrrolidone units, N-vinyl C 1 -C 6 alkylamide units, N-vinyl-N—C 1 -C 6 alkyl amide units, and combinations thereof, provided that at least one of B 5 , B 6 , B 7 , B 8 , and B 9 and at least one of B 10 , B 11 , B 12 , B 13 , and B 14 are the linear or 3-arm hydrophilic polymer chain; and

T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 , T 6 , T 7 , T 8 , T 9 , T 10 , T 11 , T 12 , T 13 , and T 14 independent of one another are an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic trivalent radical which has up to 15 carbon atoms and can be interrupted by —O—, —NR′—, —C(O)— and/or —S—, wherein the prepolymer comprises from about 20% to about 50% by weight of silicone relative to the total weight of the prepolymer and has a high water solubility or dispersibility of at least about 5% by weight in water,

wherein the contact lens has at least one property selected from the group consisting of a water content of from about 20% to about 75% by weight when fully hydrated, an oxygen permeability (Dk) of at least about 40 barrers, a hydrophilic surface characterized by an average water contact angle of about 90 degrees or less without post molding surface treatment, an elastic modulus of from about 0.1 MPa to about 2.0 MPa; an Ionoflux Diffusion Coefficient, D, of, at least about 1.0×10 −5 mm 2 /min; and

combinations thereof.

2. A method for making silicone hydrogel contact lenses, comprising the steps of:

(1) introducing a lens formulation into a mold for making contact lenses, wherein the lens-forming formulation comprises

(a) a mixture including a hydrophilic vinylic monomer and a polymerizable component selected from the group consisting of a crosslinker of formula (7), a crosslinker of formula (8), and combinations thereof,

in which

D 3 , D 4 , D 5 , D 6 , D 7 , D 8 , D 9 , and D 10 independently of one other are a divalent group of formula (9),

X 1 is hydrogen or methyl,

d2, d3, d4, ω1, ω2, and ω3 independent of one another are an integer from 0 to 20,

e3, e4, e5, e6, e7, υ1, υ2, υ3, υ4, and υ5 independent of one other are 0, 1, 2 or 3 and (e3+e4+e5+e6+e7)≧1 and (υ1+υ2+υ3+υ4+υ5)≧1,

A 8 , A 8 ′, A 9 , and A 9 ′ independent of one other are a direct bond, a linear or branched C 1 -C 10 alkylene divalent radical, —(CH 2 CH 2 O) r1 —CH 2 CH 2 — in which r1 is an integer of 1 to 20, or a C 1 -C 7 alkyleneoxy-C 1 -C 7 alkylene divalent radical, and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 1 ′, R 2 ′, R 3 ′, R 4 ′, R 5 ′, R 6 ′, R 7 ′, and R 8 ′ independently of one another, are C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, -alk-(OCH 2 CH 2 ) r2 —OR 9 in which alk is C 1 -C 6 -alkylene divalent radical, R 9 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl and r2 is an integer from 1 to 20,

f1 is an integer of 0 to 8,

m1, m2, p1 and p2 independently of each other are an integer of from 0 to 150,

(m1+p1) and (m2+p2) independent of each other are from 2 to 150,

L 4 , L 5 , L 6 , L 7 , L 8 , L 9 , L 10 , L 11 , L 12 , L 13 , L 14 , L 15 , L 16 , L 17 , Y 8 , Y 9 , Y 10 , Y 11 , Y 12 , Y 13 , Y 14 , Y 15 , Y 16 , Y 17 , Y 18 , Y 19 , Y 20 , Y 21 , Y 22 , Y 23 , Y 24 , Y 25 , Y 26 , Y 27 , and Y 28 independent of one another are a direct bond or a divalent radical of —Z 1 —X 2 —Z 2 —X 3 —Z 3 —X 4 —Z 4 — In which X 2 , X 3 and X 4 independent of one other are a linkage selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, —O—, —NR′— in which R′ is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl, —C(O)—NH—, —NH—C(O)—, —NH—C(O)—NH—, —O—C(O)—NH—, —S—, —NH—C(O)—O—, —C(O)—O—, —O—C(O)—, —NH—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—NH—, —O—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—O—, —O—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—NH—, and —NH—C(O)—NH—Z 0 —NH—C(O)—O—, Z 0 is a linear or branched C 2 -C 12 alkylene divalent radical or a C 5 -C 45 cycloaliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic divalent radical optionally containing therein one or more linkages of —O—, —NR′—, —S— and —C(O)—, Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 independent of one other are is a direct bond, a linear or branched C 1 -C 12 alkylene divalent radical optionally containing therein one or more linkages of —O—, —NR′—, —S— and —C(O)—, a divalent radical of —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 — or —(CH 2 CH 2 O) r1 —CH 2 CH 2 — with r1 as defined above, or a C 5 -C 45 cycloaliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic divalent radical optionally containing therein one or more linkages of —O—, —NR′—, —S— and —C(O)—,

B 5 , B 6 , B 7 , B 8 , B 9 , B 10 , B 11 , B 12 , B 13 , and B 14 independent of one another are a linear or 3-arm hydrophilic polymer chain having a molecular weight of about 10000 Daltons or less and comprising at least about 60% by weight of one or more hydrophilic monomeric units selected from the group consisting of ethyleneoxide units, (meth)acrylamide units, C 1 -C 3 alkyl (meth)acrylamide units, di-(C 1 -C 3 alkyl) (meth)acrylamide units, N-vinylpyrrole units, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone units, 2-vinyloxazoline units, 4-vinylpyridine units, mono-C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, mono-(meth)acryloyl terminated polyethyleneglycol units having a molecular weight of 600 Daltons or less, di(C 1 -C 3 alkyl amino)(C 2 -C 4 alkyl) (meth)acrylate units, N—C 1 -C 4 alkyl-3-methylene-2-pyrrolidone units, N—C 1 -C 4 alkyl-5-methylene-2-pyrrolidone units, N-vinyl C 1 -C 6 alkylamide units, N-vinyl-N—C 1 -C 6 alkyl amide units, and combinations thereof,

and

T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 , T 6 , T 7 , T 8 , T 9 , T 10 , T 11 , T 12 , T 13 , and T 14 independent of one another are an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic trivalent radical which has up to 15 carbon atoms and can be interrupted by —O—, —NR′—, —C(O)— and/or —S—;

(b) a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, 1,2-propylene glycol, a polyethyleneglycol having a molecular weight of about 400 Daltons or less, and mixtures thereof,

wherein the lens-forming formulation is free of any non-reactive solvent other than water, 1,2-propylene glycol, a polyethyleneglycol having a molecular weight of about 400 Daltons or less;

(2) polymerizing the lens formulation in the mold to form a silicone hydrogel contact lens, wherein the formed silicone hydrogel contact lens has a water content of from about 20% to about 75% by weight when fully hydrated, an oxygen permeability (Dk) of at least about 40 barrers, and optionally a hydrophilic surface characterized by an average water contact angle of about 90 degrees or less without post molding surface treatment.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of extracting the formed silicone hydrogel contact lens with water or an aqueous solution.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mold is a reusable mold, wherein the lens-forming composition is cured actinically under a spatial limitation of actinic radiation to form the silicone hydrogel contact lens, and wherein the reusable mold is cleaned with an ophthalmically compatible solvent.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mold is made of quartz, glass, sapphire, CaF 2 , a cyclic olefin copolymer, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyoxymethylene, polyetherimide, and combinations thereof.