A “plug and play” polymer through biocomplementary hydrogen bonding |
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Authors: | Chih‐Chia Cheng Chih‐Feng Huang Ying‐Chieh Yen Feng‐Chih Chang |
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Institution: | Institute of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao‐Tung University, 30050 Hsinchu, Taiwan |
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Abstract: | This article describes a DNA‐like polymer that exhibits the ability to self‐assemble through hydrogen bonding. We synthesized poly1‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)thymine] (PVBT) and 9‐hexadecyladenine (A‐C16) through an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and alkylation, respectively. Biocomplementary PVBT/A‐C16 hierarchical supramolecular complexes formed in dilute DMSO solution through nucleobase recognition, that is, hydrogen bonding interactions between the thymine (T) groups of PVBT and the adenine (A) group of A‐C16; evidence for this molecular recognition was also gained from dynamic light scattering studies. 1H NMR titration studies in CDCl3 showed that T–A complexes formed rapidly on the NMR time scale with high association constants (up to 534 M?1). Moreover, FTIR spectroscopic, differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering analyses provided further details into the nature of the self‐assembly of these systems. In the bulk state, these complexes self‐assemble into well‐ordered lamellar structures; the changing d‐spacing distance (ranging from 4.98 to 2.32 nm) at different A‐C16 loadings reveals that the molecular structures of the PVBT/A‐C16 complexes are readily tailored. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6416–6424, 2008 |
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Keywords: | adenine atom transfer radical polymerization biomimetic blending compatibility DNA‐like polymer self‐assemble supramolecular complex thymine |
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