Synthesis and potential application of acylhydrazone functionalized linear poly(glycidol)s

•Acylhydrazone functionalized linear poly(glycidol)s were synthesized as novel nonionic surfactants.•A structure–activity profile was established based on comprehensive physical and biological evaluations.•Length of alkyl side chain played important role in determining the functional performance. Acylhydrazone functionalized linear poly(glycidol) (HLPG) polymers were synthesized as novel nonionic surfactants, where acylhydrazone bond was used as convenient connection to conjugate hydrophobic alkyl chains of various lengths. A comprehensive study of their surface property, foamability/foaming stability and biocompatibility allowed us to establish the corresponding structure–activity profile, which indicated that the physical and biological properties of those surfactants were closely related to the length of attached alkyl side chains. In addition, the drug encapsulation/release tests were conducted to further demonstrate the utility of this type of materials. Thus, our study offered as a valuable reference for their potential practical applications.