Polymer Chemistry Blog

Thiol-yne chemistry is an efficient mechanism to synthesize A₂B star polymers. In the latest Polymer Chemistry Hot Article, Daniel Savin and co-workers at University of Southern Mississippi, USA, report the synthesis and solution characterization of polypeptide-based stars that serve as lipid mimetic molecules.

Using the thiol–yne convergent synthesis, the team envision a modular approach to functionalize proteins or oligopeptides with lipophilic chains that can imbed seamlessly into a cell membrane.

Fancy knowing more? Why not read the full article for free here:

Sandeep S. Naik, Justin W. Chan, Christopher Comer, Charles E. Hoyle and Daniel A. Savin, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00231C

Jeroen Cornelissen and co-workers at Radboud University Nijmegen and the University of Twente created a series of thermoresponsive giant biohybrid amphiphiles.

The polymer component was a random copolymer of ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate and methoxy ethoxy ethyl acrylate formed by atom transfer radical polymerisation.  The team linked the hydrophobic polymer to enhanced green fluorescent protein using a copper-catalysed azide–alkyne cycloaddition. Slow heating allows the giant amphiphiles to self-assemble into spherical micelles with a diameter of approximately 60 nm.

Interested to know more? Read the full article for free here: Christine Lavigueur, Jordi González García, Linda Hendriks, Richard Hoogenboom, Jeroen J. L. M. Cornelissen and Roeland J. M. Nolte, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0PY00229A

In the latest Polymer Chemistry Hot Article, Cathrin Corten and Marek Urban at the University of Southern Mississippi, USA, investigate the evolution of shape in colloidal particles. In the paper they study colloidal nanoparticle made from two phase-separated copolymers poly(methylmethacrylate) (p-MMA)/n-butylacrylate (nBA) and poly(nBA)/pentafluorostyrene (p-PFS).

These studies show for the first time that the synthesis of two distinct phase-separated copolymers within one colloidal nanoparticle allows control of the nanoparticle morphology by compositional and interfacial adjustments.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article for free here: Cathrin C. Corten and Marek W. Urban, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0PY00220H

The hollow structure of cyclodextrins makes them promising hosts for drugs. By attaching polymers to the cyclodextrin ring scientists can create new materials to use as drug delivery systems. One advantage of attaching the polymer is that it allows the delivery properties to be tailored by modifying the polymer as well as the cyclodextrin host.

The review by Jiawen Zhou and Helmut Ritter, Heinrich-Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany, focuses on the recent advances made with cyclodextrins in polymer chemistry and their applications in drug delivery systems. They discuss the opportunities for using click reactions to covalently attached polymer chains to cyclodextrins, and other examples for functionalizing cyclodextrin.

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