A New Colorimetric Platform for Protein Detection Based on Recognition‐Induced Cascade of Polymeric Nanoparticles Disassembly

Despite great progress, it is still of high interest to explore new homogeneous assays for simple, visual, and selective protein detection. Herein, one new colorimetric sensor has been developed for visual detection of protein by using polymeric micelles as a sensing scaffold and the molecular recognition between protein and the ligand on the surface of the polymeric micelles as the driving force to trigger the readout of the detection signal. The polymeric micelles formed via the self‐assembly of the amphiphilic block polymer biotin‐labeled poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(3‐acryl aminophenylboronic acid) are endowed with colorful feature by incorporation of alizarin red S (ARS) into the hydrophobic core. Based on the response to streptavidin recognition, these micelles are further disintegrated through the competitive binding of α‐cyclodextrin with boronic acid for disassociation of ARS, which achieves orange–yellow to pink–purple transition in 2 h. This work will open the way to develop one new mix‐and‐measure, visual, and homogeneous assay.     

Poly[(μ2‐2,2‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diyl diisocyanide)‐μ2‐nitrato‐silver(I)]: a powder study

In order to investigate the effect of counter‐anions on the polymeric structure of (2,2‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diyl diisocyanide)silver(I) complexes, the novel title polymeric compound, [Ag(NO₃)(C₇H₁₀N₂)]_n, has been synthesized. The crystal structure was determined by simulated annealing from X‐ray powder diffraction data collected at room temperature. The current structure is similar to the recently reported structure of the analogue with chloride replacing nitrate. This study illustrates that both the chloride and nitrate complexes crystallize in the orthorhombic system in the Pbca space group with one monomer in the asymmetric unit, and also gives a strong indication that the counter‐anion does not have a considerable effect on the polymeric structure of the complex. The Ag centre lies in a distorted tetrahedral environment and is bonded to two 2,2‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diyl diisocyanide ligands to form chains. The nitrate anions crosslink the Ag centres of the chains to form a two‐dimensional polymeric network structure.     

A Hybrid Supramolecular Polymeric Hydrogel with Rapid Self‐Healing Property

A hybrid supramolecular polymeric hydrogel is conveniently constructed via host–guest interaction of a host cyclodextrin polymer (poly‐CD) with a guest α‐bromonaphthalene polymer (poly‐BrNp) and mixing with 6‐thio‐β‐cyclodextrin (β‐SH‐CD) modified gold nanoparticles (GPCDs) in aqueous solution. According to the dynamic oscillatory data, the hydrogel exhibits markedly enhanced stiffness compared with the GPCD‐free one (both G′ and G“ values are almost twice as high as those of the original GPCD‐free hydrogel) due to the introduction of the inorganic gold nanoparticles. This hybrid supramolecular polymeric hydrogel has a rapid and excellent self‐healing property (only about 1 min, and the G′ and G” of the self‐healed hydrogel almost turned back to their original levels after 1 hour) in air (without adding any solvent or additive).     

Multifunctional Core‐Shell‐Corona‐Type Polymeric Micelles for Anticancer Drug‐Delivery and Imaging

We have developed core‐shell‐corona‐type polymeric micelles that can integrate multiple functions in one system, including the capability of accommodating hydrophobic dyes into core and hydrophilic drug into the shell, as well as pH‐triggered drug‐release. The neutral and hydrophilic corona sterically stabilizes the multifunctional polymeric micelles in aqueous solution. The mineralization of calcium phosphate (CaP) on the PAA domain not only enhances the diagnostic efficacy of organic dyes, but also works as a diffusion barrier for the controlled release.     

catena‐Poly­[[(pyridin‐4‐ol‐κN)silver(I)]‐μ‐pyridin‐4‐olato‐κ2N:O]

The title complex, [Ag(C₅H₄NO)(C₅H₅NO)]_n, consists of a polymeric neutral chain involving both a neutral pyridin‐4‐ol ligand and a deprotonated pyridin‐4‐olate monoanion. The Ag^I atom shows a T‐shaped coordination geometry, defined by one N atom of the pyridin‐4‐ol and one O and one N atom of two independent pyridin‐4‐olate bridges; the N—Ag—N moiety is approximately linear. The polymeric chains are connected via strong O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and offset π–π interactions into a three‐dimensional network.     

Tunable‐Sized Polymeric Micelles and Their Assembly for the Preparation of Large Mesoporous Platinum Nanoparticles

Platinum nanoparticles with continuously tunable mesoporous structures were prepared by a simple, one‐step polymeric approach. By virtue of their large pore size, these structures have a high surface area that is accessible to reagents. In the synthetic method, variation of the solvent composition plays an essential role in the systematic control of pore size and particle shape. The mesoporous Pt catalyst exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity for the methanol oxidation reaction compared to commercially available Pt catalysts. This polymeric‐micelle approach provides an additional design concept for the creation of next generation of metallic catalysts.     

A Rapidly Self‐Healing Supramolecular Polymer Hydrogel with Photostimulated Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence Responsiveness

Development of self‐healing and photostimulated luminescent supramolecular polymeric materials is important for artificial soft materials. A supramolecular polymeric hydrogel is reported based on the host–guest recognition between a β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) host polymer (poly‐β‐CD) and an α‐bromonaphthalene (α‐BrNp) polymer (poly‐BrNp) without any additional gelator, which can self‐heal within only about one minute under ambient atmosphere without any additive. This supramolecular polymer system can be excited to engender room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signals based on the fact that the inclusion of β‐CD macrocycle with α‐BrNp moiety is able to induce RTP emission (CD‐RTP). The RTP signal can be adjusted reversibly by competitive complexation of β‐CD with azobenzene moiety under specific irradiation by introducing another azobenzene guest polymer (poly‐Azo).     

Efficient Preparation of Large‐Sized Rings of Single‐Stranded DNA through One‐Pot Ligation of Multiple Fragments

Circular single‐stranded DNA (c‐ssDNA) has significant applications in DNA detection, the development of nucleic acid medicine, and DNA nanotechnology because it shows highly unique features in mobility, dynamics, and topology. However, in most cases, the efficiency of c‐ssDNA preparation is very low because polymeric byproducts are easily formed due to intermolecular reaction. Herein, we report a one‐pot ligation method to efficiently prepare large c‐ssDNA. By ligating several short fragments of linear single‐stranded DNA (l‐ssDNA) in one‐pot by using T4 DNA ligase, longer l‐ssDNAs intermediates are formed and then rapidly consumed by the cyclization. Since the intramolecular cyclization reaction is much faster than intermolecular polymerization, the formation of polymeric products is suppressed and the dominance of intramolecular cyclization is promoted. With this simple approach, large‐sized single‐stranded c‐ssDNAs (e.g., 200‐nt) were successfully synthesized in high selectivity and yield.     

catena‐Poly[[(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ2N,N′)manganese(II)]‐di‐μ‐salicylato‐κ4O:O′]

In the title polymeric complex, [Mn(C₇H₅O₃)₂(C₁₂H₈N₂)]_n, the Mn^II atom is located on a twofold axis and displays a distorted octa­hedral coordination geometry, formed by four salicylate anions and one 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) mol­ecule. The salicylate anions doubly bridge the Mn^II atoms to form one‐dimensional polymeric chains. A comparison of Mn—O bond distances with the corresponding Mn—O—C angles suggests a significant electrostatic content in the Mn—O bonds. A face‐to‐face distance of 3.352 (7) Å between neighbouring parallel phen planes indicates π–π stacking inter­actions between polymeric chains.     

Stable Polymer Nanoparticles with Exceptionally High Drug Loading by Sequential Nanoprecipitation

Poor solubility often leads to low drug efficacy. Encapsulation of water‐insoluble drugs in polymeric nanoparticles offers a solution. However, low drug loading remains a critical challenge. Now, a simple and robust sequential nanoprecipitation technology is used to produce stable drug‐core polymer‐shell nanoparticles with high drug loading (up to 58.5 %) from a wide range of polymers and drugs. This technology is based on tuning the precipitation time of drugs and polymers using a solvent system comprising multiple organic solvents, which allows the formation of drug nanoparticles first followed by immediate precipitation of one or two polymers. This technology offers a new strategy to manufacture polymeric nanoparticles with high drug loading having good long‐term stability and programmed release and opens a unique opportunity for drug delivery applications.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Novel Hydrogen-Bonded Three-Dimensional Polymer [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)-(pyridine)·H_2O]_n

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Engineered interface using a hydroxyl group‐free polymeric buffer layer onto a TiO2 nanocomposite film for improving the electrical properties in a low‐voltage operated organic transistor

We demonstrate the effect of engineered interfaces by introducing different classes of polymeric buffer layers onto a titanium oxide (TiO₂) nanocomposite film on the density of interfacial trap sites and corresponding mobility in low‐voltage‐operated organic field‐effect transistors. The organic field‐effect transistors were fabricated using pentacene as an organic semiconductor layer and a high dielectric TiO₂ nanocomposite film for low‐voltage operation stacked with two different kinds of thin polymers, one of which is hydroxyl group‐existing polyvinyl phenol and the other is hydroxyl group‐free polyvinyl cinnamate. By using the hydroxyl group‐free buffer layer, the interfacial trap density is found to be much decreased than that for the hydroxyl group‐existing buffer layer. In addition, the mobility for the polyvinyl cinnamate used case, shows significantly increased value by at least one of magnitude compared to the case of no buffer layer. It is found that a hydroxyl group‐free polymeric layer produces a more effective surface, which leads to high electrical properties and less electrochemical traps at the interface in the organic devices. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quasi‐solid‐state dye‐sensitized solar cells containing P (MMA‐co‐AN)‐based polymeric gel electrolyte

Quasi‐solid state dye‐sensitized solar cells (QS‐DSSC) containing poly (methyl methacrylate‐co‐acrylonitrile) [P (MMA‐co‐AN)] gel electrolytes were fabricated. By tuning AN molar percentage in P (MMA‐co‐AN), the optimized polymeric gel electrolyte for fabricating QS‐DSSC can be obtained. QS‐DSSC containing polymeric gel electrolyte with 45 mol.% AN in P(MMA‐co‐AN) shows higher energy conversion efficiency than that of QS‐DSSCs containing polymeric gel electrolytes with either pure PMMA or PAN. So it presents an effective way to improve the photovoltaic performance of QS‐DSSC by tuning the components of polymeric gelling agent. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐Anticoagulant Heparin Prodrug Loaded Biodegradable and Injectable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels for Enhanced Anti‐Metastasis Therapy

Metastasis is a pathogenic spread of cancer cells from the primary site to surrounding tissues and distant organs, making it one of the primary challenges for effective cancer treatment and the major cause of cancer mortality. Heparin‐based biomaterials exhibit significant inhibition of cancer cell metastasis. In this study, a non‐anticoagulate heparin prodrug is developed for metastasis treatment with a localized treatment system using temperature sensitive, injectable, and biodegradable (poly‐(ε‐caprolactone‐co‐lactide)‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(ε‐caprolactone‐co‐lactide) polymeric hydrogel. The drug molecule (heparin) is conjugated with the polymer via esterification, and its sustained release is ensured by hydrolysis and polymeric biodegradation. An aqueous solution of the polymer could be used as an injectable solution at below 25 °C and it achieves gel formation at 37 °C. The anti‐metastasis effect of the hydrogels is investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that local administration of injectable heparin‐loaded hydrogels effectively promote an inhibitory effect on cancer metastasis.     

Antioxidant and spectroscopic studies of crosslinked polymers synthesized by grafting polymerization of ferulic acid

A novel, simple synthetic strategy for the preparation of crosslinked polymers with significant antioxidant properties is proposed. Ferulic acid (FA), a well‐known antioxidant compound, due to its reactivity toward free radical process, was inserted into a polymeric network with methacrylic acid (MAA) and ethylene glycole dimethacrylate acting as comonomer and crosslinker, respectively. All the reactants were simultaneously mixed in the polymerization feed and one‐pot radical reaction was carried out. Irregular microparticles were prepared by bulk polymerization and microspheres by precipitation polymerization. The materials were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance–magic angle spinning (NMR‐MAS) studies, to verify effective FA insertion into polymeric networks, and by morphological, dimensional analyses, and water absorption measurement to study their superficial and swelling properties, respectively. Antioxidant properties of materials were evaluated by linoleic acid emulsion system–thiocyanate assay, determination of scavenging activity on DPPH radicals, determination of available phenolic groups in polymeric matrices, and determination of total antioxidant capacity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymeric Schiff Bases as Low‐Voltage Redox Centers for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

The redox entity comprising two Schiff base groups attached to a phenyl ring (? N?CH? Ar? HC?N? ) is reported to be active for sodium‐ion storage (Ar=aromatic group). Electroactive polymeric Schiff bases were produced by reaction between non‐conjugated aliphatic or conjugated aromatic diamine block with terephthalaldehyde unit. Crystalline polymeric Schiff bases are able to electrochemically store more than one sodium atom per azomethine group at potentials between 0 and 1.5 V versus Na⁺/Na. The redox potential can be tuned through conjugation of the polymeric chain and by electron injection from donor substituents in the aromatic rings. Reversible capacities of up to 350 mA h g^?1 are achieved when the carbon mixture is optimized with Ketjen Black. Interestingly, the “reverse” configuration (? CH?N? Ar? N?HC? ) is not electrochemically active, though isoelectronic.     

Syntheses and Structural Characterization of 1D Coordination Polymers of Transition‐Metal Atoms Containing 2,4‐Pyridinedicarboxylate Bridges

By employing one bridging ligand, 2,4‐pyridinedicarboxylate (2,4‐pda^2?), three one‐dimensional (1D) coordination polymers of [Cu(2,4‐pda)(H₂O)₂]_∞ ( 1 ), {[Cu₄(2,4‐pda)₄(H₂O)₈]·3H₂O}_∞ ( 2 ), and {[Cd(2,4‐pda)(H₂O)₃]·H₂O}_∞ ( 3 ) were synthesized. A simple zigzag polymeric chain is observed for both 1 and 3 , but a railroad‐like zigzag polymeric chain is observed for 2. Almost all water molecules, whether coordinated or not, are involved in hydrogen bonding interactions and help to tie up the 1D polymeric chains of 1‐3 into a three‐dimensional (3D) network. A comparison about the coordination geometries in all similar coordination polymers available to date is also included.     

A convergence of photo‐bergman cyclization and intramolecular chain collapse towards polymeric nanoparticles

Employing enediynes as crosslinking precursors, a novel yet efficient strategy, namely photo‐triggered Bergman cyclization, was integrated with intramolecular chain collapse to yield polymeric nanoparticles with the size regime below 20 nm. Enediyne motif was designed delicately to possess a high photo‐reactivity, with the double bond locked in a methyl benzoate ring while triple bonds substituted with phenyls. Single electron transfer‐living radical polymerization was conducted to provide linear acrylate copolymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersities. Poly(butylarylate‐co‐ 5 ) went through UV‐irradiation with a concurrent Bergman cyclization, resulting in well‐defined ultrafine polymeric nanoparticles. Results from NMR, Raman scattering, photoluminescence and UV‐vis spectra corroborated the presence of conjugative structures in the polymeric nanoparticles, indicating the occurrence of photo‐induced Bergman cyclization. A series of other acrylate‐based nanoparticles were investigated to confirm the applicability of such a unique strategy in thermal sensitive but UV‐stable polymeric structures, making photo‐Bergman cyclization a promising tool towards polymeric nanoparticles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Excited‐State Properties of Camphorquinone Based Monomeric and Polymeric Photoinitiators

The excited‐state properties of a new polymeric photoinitiator‐bearing camphorquinone or/and amine moieties were studied and compared to the behaviour of the precursor molecules. The triplet state of the polymeric system was extremely short‐lived, due to the close vicinity of the amino group. In addition, the singlet state also reacted with the amino group. A study on camphorquinone and methyldiethanolamine (=2,2′‐(methylimino)bis[ethanol]) revealed that both these pathways led to the formation of a ketyl radical and an amine‐derived radical. Therefore, high efficiency of the radical generation was expected. However, the radical photopolymerization of a polyfunctional mixture of acrylic monomers with various combinations of monomeric and polymeric photoinitiators gave evidence that the polymeric structure of the photoinitiating system may differently affect the overall cure rate of the formulation.     

Synthesis of stable “gold nanoparticle–polymeric micelle” conjugates: A new class of star “molecular chimera” that self‐assemble into linear arrays of spherical micelles

Stable and aggregation‐free “gold nanoparticle–polymeric micelle” conjugates were prepared using a new and simple protocol enabled by the hydrogen bonding between surface‐capping ligands and polymeric micelles. Individual gold nanoparticles were initially capped using a phosphatidylthio–ethanol lipid and further conjugated with a star poly(styrene‐block‐glutamic acid) copolymer micelle using a one‐pot preparation method. The morphology and stability of these gold–polymer conjugates were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The self‐assembly of this class of polymer‐b‐polypeptide in aqueous an medium to form spherical micelles and further their intermicelle reorganization to form necklace‐like chains was also investigated. TEM and laser light scattering techniques were employed to study the morphology and size of these micelles. Polymeric micelles were formed with diameters in the range of 65–75 nm, and supermicellular patterns were observed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3570–3579, 2007