Crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide) containing siloxanes fabricated through thiol‐ene photochemistry

Homogenous amphiphilic crosslinked polymer films comprising of poly(ethylene oxide) and polysiloxane were synthesized utilizing thiol‐ene “ click ” photochemistry. A systematic variation in polymer composition was Carried out to obtain high quality films with varied amount of siloxane and poly(ethylene oxide). These films showed improved gas separation performance with high gas permeabilities with good CO₂/N₂ selectivity. Furthermore, the resulting films were also tested for its biocompatibility, as a carrier media which allow human adult mesenchymal stem cells to retain their capacity for osteoblastic differentiation after transplantation. The obtained crosslinked films were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR, Raman‐IR , and small angle X‐ray scattering. The synthesis ease and commercial availability of the starting materials suggests that these new crosslinked polymer networks could find applications in wide range of applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1548–1557     

Synthesis of Heat-resistant Polymers by Thiol–Ene Reaction of N-Allylmaleimide Copolymers Using Glycoluril Crosslinkers with Rigid Molecular Structures

We carried out the thermal curing of the copolymers of N-allylmaleimide (AMI) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2EHA) using 1,3,4,6-tetra(2-mercaproethyl)glycoluril ( G1 ), 1,3,4,6-tetra(3-mercaptopropyl)glycoluril ( G2 ), 1,3,4,6-tetraallylglycoluril ( G3 ), triallylisocyanurate (TAIC), and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptobutyrate) (PEMB) as the crosslinkers. Based on the results for the analysis of thiol–ene reactions monitored by IR spectroscopy, it was confirmed that the curing rate significantly depended on the combination of the used crosslinkers. The insoluble fraction after curing was more than 90% for the systems using the glycoluril crosslinkers, while the conversion of the allyl groups was suppressed due to the rigid structure of these crosslinkers. The heat resistance and the mechanical properties of the crosslinked polymers were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and mechanical tensile tests. For the products cured using the glycoluril crosslinkers, the glass transition temperature (T_g) and the maximum temperature of thermal decomposition (T_max) were 54–59 °C and 395–409 °C, respectively, being higher than those for the cured product prepared with PEMB and TAIC as the conventional crosslinkers. The elasticity (75–139 MPa), the maximum strength (3.0–4.1 MPa), and the adhesion strength (6.7–10.7 MPa) for the polymers cured with the glycoluril crosslinkers, determined by the mechanical tensile and single lap-shear adhesion tests, were higher than those for cured materials produced with PEMB. Thus, the thermal and mechanical properties of the maleimide copolymers were efficiently enhanced by crosslinking using the rigid glycoluril compounds. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 58, 923–931     

Lignin,a biomass crosslinker,in a shape memory polycaprolactone network

This work reports a new direction of natural lignin valorization, which utilizes lignin to produce crosslinked polycaprolactone (PCL) via a straightforward synthesis. Lignin's hydroxyl groups of its multibranched phenolic structure allow lignin to serve as crosslinkers, whereas the aromatic groups serve as hard segments. The modified natural lignin containing alkene terminals is crosslinked with a thiol‐terminal PCL via Ru‐catalyzed photoredox thiol‐ene reaction. The high rate of gel contents measured for all crosslinked polymers, with the least being 84% of gel content, indicates efficient crosslinking. The prepared flat rectangular shape lignin‐crosslinked PCL sample demonstrates rapid thermal responsive shape memory behavior at 10 °C and 80 °C showing interconversion between a permanent and temporary shape. The melting temperature of the lignin‐crosslinked PCL is tunable by varying the percent weight of lignin. The 11, 21, and 30 wt % lignin demonstrated T_m of 42 °C, 35 °C, and 26 °C, respectively. The role of lignin as a crosslinker presented in this work suggests that lignin can serve as an efficient biomass‐based functional additive to polymers. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2121–2130     

Facile synthesis of dopa‐functional polycarbonates via thiol‐Ene‐coupling chemistry towards self‐healing gels

Since extraction of the naturally occurring mussel‐foot proteins is expensive and time‐consuming, routes towards synthetic analogues are continuously being explored. Often, these methods involve several protection and deprotection steps, making the synthesis of synthetic analogues time‐consuming and expensive as well. Herein, we show that UV‐initiated thiol‐ene coupling between a thiol‐functional dopamine derivative and an allyl‐functional aliphatic polycarbonate can be used as a fast and facile route to dopa‐functional materials. Different thiol‐to‐allyl ratios and irradiation protocols were used and it was found that nearly 50% of the allyl groups could be functionalized with dopa within short reaction times, without the need of protecting the catechol. It is also demonstrated herein that the dopa‐functional polymers can be used to form self‐healing gels through complexation with Fe³⁺ ions at increased pH. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2370–2378     

In situ fabrication of paclitaxel‐loaded core‐crosslinked micelles via thiol‐ene “click” chemistry for reduction‐responsive drug release

In this study, a facile method to fabricate reduction‐responsive core‐crosslinked micelles via in situ thiol‐ene “click” reaction was reported. A series of biodegradable poly(ether‐ester)s with multiple pendent mercapto groups were first synthesized by melt polycondensation of diol poly(ethylene glycol), 1,4‐butanediol, and mercaptosuccinic acid using scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃] as the catalyst. Then paclitaxel (PTX)‐loaded core‐crosslinked (CCL) micelles were successfully prepared by in situ crosslinking hydrophobic polyester blocks in aqueous media via thiol‐ene “click” chemistry using 2,2′‐dithiodiethanol diacrylate as the crosslinker. These PTX‐loaded CCL micelles with disulfide bonds exhibited reduction‐responsive behaviors in the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT). The drug release profile of the PTX‐loaded CCL micelles revealed that only a small amount of loaded PTX was released slowly in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) without DTT, while quick release was observed in the presence of 10.0 mM DTT. Cell count kit (CCK‐8) assays revealed that the reduction‐sensitive PTX‐loaded CCL micelles showed high antitumor activity toward HeLa cells, which was significantly higher than that of reduction‐insensitive counterparts and free PTX. This kind of biodegradable and biocompatible CCL micelles could serve as a bioreducible nanocarrier for the controlled antitumor drug release. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 99–107     

Synthesis of water‐soluble allyl‐functionalized oligochitosan and its modification by thiol–ene addition in water

A novel, straightforward and versatile chemical pathway has been studied to functionalize water‐soluble chitosan oligomers. This metal‐free methodology is based on the epoxy‐amine reaction of the allyl glycidyl ether with chitosan, followed by thiol‐ene radical coupling reaction of ω‐functional mercaptans, using 4,4′‐Azobis(4‐cyanovaleric acid) as a free radical initiator. Both reactions were entirely carried out in water. In a preliminary step, chitosan depolymerization was carried out using H₂O₂ in an acetic medium under 100 W microwave irradiation, optimizing the yield of water‐soluble oligomers. Functionalization by six different thiols bearing alcohol, carboxylic acid, ester, and amino groups was then performed, leading to a range of functional oligochitosans with different grafting efficiencies. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 39–48     

N‐Benzylnicotinamide and N‐benzyl‐1,4‐dihydronicotinamide: useful models for NAD+ and NADH

3‐Aminocarbonyl‐1‐benzylpyridinium bromide (N‐benzylnicotinamide, BNA), C₁₃H₁₃N₂O⁺·Br⁻, (I), and 1‐benzyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3‐carboxamide (N‐benzyl‐1,4‐dihydronicotinamide, rBNA), C₁₃H₁₄N₂O, (II), are valuable model compounds used to study the enzymatic cofactors NAD(P)⁺ and NAD(P)H. BNA was crystallized successfully and its structure determined for the first time, while a low‐temperature high‐resolution structure of rBNA was obtained. Together, these structures provide the most detailed view of the reactive portions of NAD(P)⁺ and NAD(P)H. The amide group in BNA is rotated 8.4 (4)° out of the plane of the pyridine ring, while the two rings display a dihedral angle of 70.48 (17)°. In the rBNA structure, the dihydropyridine ring is essentially planar, indicating significant delocalization of the formal double bonds, and the amide group is coplanar with the ring [dihedral angle = 4.35 (9)°]. This rBNA conformation may lower the transition‐state energy of an ene reaction between a substrate double bond and the dihydropyridine ring. The transition state would involve one atom of the double bond binding to the carbon ortho to both the ring N atom and the amide substituent of the dihydropyridine ring, while the other end of the double bond accepts an H atom from the methylene group para to the N atom.     

A three‐dimensional cadmium coordination polymer based on 1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)but‐2‐ene and benzene‐1,3,5‐tricarboxylic acid

The Cd^II three‐dimensional coordination poly[[[μ₄‐1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)but‐2‐ene]bis(μ₃‐5‐carboxybenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylato)dicadmium(II)] dihydrate], {[Cd₂(C₉H₄O₆)₂(C₈H₁₀N₆)]·2H₂O}_n , (I), has been synthesized by the hydrothermal reaction of Cd(NO₃)₂·4H₂O, benzene‐1,3,5‐tricarboxylic acid (1,3,5‐H₃BTC) and 1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)but‐2‐ene (1,4‐btbe). The IR spectrum suggests the presence of protonated carboxylic acid, deprotonated carboxylate and triazolyl groups. The purity of the bulk sample was confirmed by elemental analysis and X‐ray powder diffraction. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals that the Cd^II ions adopt a five‐coordinated distorted trigonal–bipyramidal geometry, coordinated by three O atoms from three different 1,3,5‐HBTC²⁻ ligands and two N atoms from two different 1,4‐btbe ligands; the latter are situated on centres of inversion. The Cd^II centres are bridged by 1,3,5‐HBTC²⁻ and 1,4‐btbe ligands into an overall three‐dimensional framework. When the Cd^II centres and the tetradentate 1,4‐btbe ligands are regarded as nodes, the three‐dimensional topology can be simplified as a binodal 4,6‐connected network. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms the presence of lattice water in (I). Photoluminescence studies imply that the emission of (I) may be ascribed to intraligand fluorescence.     

A Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Xyolide,a Natural Bioactive Nonenolide

A stereoselective total synthesis of xyolide, a naturally occurring bioactive nonenolide, has been accomplished. The acid fragment of the molecule has been prepared from D ‐mannitol and the alcohol fragment from (2Z)‐but‐2‐ene‐1,4‐diol. The synthesis involves the coupling of these two fragments using the Yamaguchi esterification protocol, followed by intramolecular ring‐closing methathesis. The diastereoisomeric alcohol fragment has also been utilized in this synthesis by employing the Mitsunobu esterification.