Perfluorocarbon‐loaded shell crosslinked knedel‐like nanoparticles: Lessons regarding polymer mobility and self‐assembly

Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization was employed to synthesize a set of copolymers of styrene (PS) and 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene (PPFS), as well as block copolymers with tert‐butyl acrylate (PtBA)‐b‐PS‐co‐PPFS, with control over molecular weight and polydispersity. It was found that the copolymerization of styrene and PFS allowed for the preparation of gradient copolymers with opposite levels of monomer consumption, depending on the feed ratio. Conversion to amphiphilic block copolymers, PAA‐b‐(PS‐co‐PPFS), by removing the protecting groups was followed by fitting with monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) chains. Solution‐state assembly and intramicellar crosslinking afforded shell crosslinked knedel‐like (SCK) block copolymer nanoparticles. These fluorinated nanoparticles (ca. 20 nm diameters) were studied as potential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents based on the ¹⁹F‐nuclei; however, it was found that packaging of the hydrophobic fluorinated polymers into the core domain restricted the mobility of the chains and prohibited ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy when the particles were dispersed in water without an organic cosolvent. Packing of perflouro‐15‐crown‐5‐ether (PFCE) into the polymer micelle was demonstrated with good uptake efficiency; however, it was necessary to swell the core with a good solvent (DMSO) to increase the mobility and observe the ¹⁹F NMR signal of the PFCE. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1023–1037, 2009     

Synthesis of gemini surfactants with twelve symmetric fluorine atoms and one singlet F MR signal as novel F MRI agents

A family of fluorinated gemini surfactants derived from perfluoropinacol has been synthesized as novel ¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (¹⁹F MRI) agents. These fluorinated surfactants with 12 symmetric fluorine atoms and one singlet ¹⁹F MR peak can be conveniently prepared from perfluoropinacol and oligo(ethylene glycols) on multi-gram scales. Solubility, hydrophilicity (log P), and critical micelle concentration (CMC) measurements of these fluorinated surfactants indicated that high aqueous solubility can be achieved by introducing oligo(ethylene glycols) with appropriate length into perfluoropinacol, i.e., manipulating the fluorine content (F%). One of these fluorinated surfactants with high aqueous solubility and excellent ¹⁹F MR properties has been identified by ¹⁹F MRI phantom experiments as a promising ¹⁹F MRI agent.     

Silica‐Encapsulated Gd3+‐Aggregated Gold Nanoclusters for In Vitro and In Vivo Multimodal Cancer Imaging

Gd³⁺‐aggregated gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) encapsulated by silica shell (Gd³⁺‐A‐AuNCs@SiO₂ NPs) were strategically designed and prepared. The as‐prepared nanoparticles exhibit aggregation‐enhanced fluorescence (AEF), with an intensity that is up to 3.8 times that of discrete AuNCs. The clusters served as novel nanoprobes for in vitro and in vivo multimodal (fluorescence, magnetic resonance, and computed X‐ray tomography) cancer imaging     

Partially Fluorinated Copolymers as Oxygen Sensitive 19F MRI Agents

Effective diagnosis of disease and its progression can be aided by ¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. Specifically, the inherent sensitivity of the spin–lattice relaxation time (T₁) of ¹⁹F nuclei to oxygen partial pressure makes ¹⁹F MRI an attractive non-invasive approach to quantify tissue oxygenation in a spatiotemporal manner. However, there are only few materials with the adequate sensitivity to be used as oxygen-sensitive ¹⁹F MRI agents at clinically relevant field strengths. Motivated by the limitations in current technologies, we report highly fluorinated monomers that provide a platform approach to realize water-soluble, partially fluorinated copolymers as ¹⁹F MRI agents with the required sensitivity to quantify solution oxygenation at clinically relevant magnetic field strengths. The synthesis of a systematic library of partially fluorinated copolymers enabled a comprehensive evaluation of copolymer structure–property relationships relevant to ¹⁹F MRI. The highest-performing material composition demonstrated a signal-to-noise ratio that corresponded to an apparent ¹⁹F density of 220 mm , which surpasses the threshold of 126 mm ¹⁹F required for visualization on a three Tesla clinical MRI. Furthermore, the T₁ of these high performing materials demonstrated a linear relationship with solution oxygenation, with oxygen sensitivity reaching 240×10⁻⁵ mmHg⁻¹s⁻¹. The relationships between material composition and ¹⁹F MRI performance identified herein suggest general structure–property criteria for the further improvement of modular, water-soluble ¹⁹F MRI agents for quantifying oxygenation in environments relevant to medical imaging.     

Multifunctional Core–Shell Silica Nanoparticles for Highly Sensitive 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging

¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (¹⁹F MRI) is useful for monitoring particular signals from biological samples, cells, and target tissues, because background signals are missing in animal bodies. Therefore, highly sensitive ¹⁹F MRI contrast agents are in great demand for their practical applications. However, we have faced the following challenges: 1) increasing the number of fluorine atoms decreases the solubility of the molecular probes, and 2) the restriction of the molecular mobility attenuates the ¹⁹F MRI signals. Herein, we developed novel multifunctional core–shell nanoparticles to solve these issues. They are composed of a core micelle filled with liquid perfluorocarbon and a robust silica shell. These core–shell nanoparticles have superior properties such as high sensitivity, modifiability of the surface, biocompatibility, and sufficient in vivo stability. By the adequate surface modifications, gene expression in living cells and tumor tissue in living mice were successfully detected by ¹⁹F MRI.     

Specific Detection and Imaging of Enzyme Activity by Signal‐Amplifiable Self‐Assembling 19F MRI Probes

Specific turn‐on detection of enzyme activities is of fundamental importance in drug discovery research, as well as medical diagnostics. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most powerful techniques for noninvasive visualization of enzyme activity, both in vivo and ex vivo, promising strategies for imaging specific enzymes with high contrast have been very limited to date. We report herein a novel signal‐amplifiable self‐assembling ¹⁹F NMR/MRI probe for turn‐on detection and imaging of specific enzymatic activity. In NMR spectroscopy, these designed probes are “silent” when aggregated, but exhibit a disassembly driven turn‐on signal change upon cleavage of the substrate part by the catalytic enzyme. Using these ¹⁹F probes, nanomolar levels of two different target enzymes, nitroreductase (NTR) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), could be detected and visualized by ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and MRI. Furthermore, we have succeeded in imaging the activity of endogenously secreted MMP in cultured media of tumor cells by ¹⁹F MRI, depending on the cell lines and the cellular conditions. These results clearly demonstrate that our turn‐on ¹⁹F probes may serve as a screening platform for the activity of MMPs.     

19F MRI Probes for Multimodal Imaging**

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most powerful imaging tools today, capable of displaying superior soft-tissue contrast. This review discusses developments in the field of ¹⁹F MRI multimodal probes in combination with optical fluorescence imaging (OFI), ¹H MRI, chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI, ultrasonography (USG), X-ray computed tomography (CT), single photon emission tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In each case, multimodal ¹⁹F MRI probes compensate for the deficiency of individual techniques and offer improved sensitivity or accuracy of detection over unimodal counterparts. Strategies for designing ¹⁹F MRI multimodal probes are described with respect to their structure, physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and the quality of images.     

RAFT synthesis of an amphiphilic block copolymer bearing chlorin rings in the hydrophobic segment and its application in photodynamic therapy

RAFT polymerization of styrene (St) in the presence of 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (TFPP) was conducted using 4‐cyano‐4‐(thiobenzoyl)thiopentanoic acid as a chain‐transfer agent and azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator at 60 °C. The resulting polymer exhibited a chlorin‐like UV‐vis spectrum, which indicated that the polymer possessed a reduced TFPP structure. Furthermore, an SEC trace recorded using UV‐vis detector (λ = 410 nm), which selectively detected the TFPP‐incorporated polymer, shifted toward higher molecular mass as the polymerization progressed. This evidence indicated that TFPP acted as a vinylene‐type monomer, such as maleimide, to form a copolymer, namely, poly(St‐co‐TFPP). The mole fraction of TFPP units was estimated to be 0.74 × 10^?3, which was close to that in the feed (1 × 10^?3). Chain extension of poly(St‐co‐TFPP) with polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether acrylate (PEGA) was performed to afford the amphiphilic block copolymer poly(St‐co‐TFPP)‐b‐poly(PEGA). The degrees of polymerization of St and PEGA were determined to be 64 and 75, respectively. Poly(St‐co‐TFPP)‐b‐poly(PEGA) formed micelles following dialysis. The median diameter of the micelles in solution was determined to be 16 nm by DLS. The photocytotoxicity of the micelle solution was evaluated in a human glioblastoma cell line (U251) and an N‐methyl‐N'‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine‐induced mutant of a rat murine RGM‐1 gastric carcinoma mucosal cell line (RGK‐1). © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 3395–3403     

Precision synthesis of acrylate multiblock copolymers from consecutive microreactor RAFT polymerizations

Well‐defined acrylate RAFT polymers and multiblock‐copolymers have been synthesized via the use of a continuous‐flow microreactor, in which polymerizations could be executed in 5?20 min reaction time. First, Poly(n‐butyl acrylate) (PnBuA) was synthesized in the micro‐flowreactor by using two different trithiocarbonate RAFT agents. Reaction time and reaction temperature were optimized and collected samples were directly studied with NMR, SEC and ESI‐MS to determine conversion, molar mass and end group fidelity. Using the continuous flow technique, highly reproducible and fast polymerizations yielded quantitatively functionalized PnBuA in a very facile and efficient manner. One batch of RAFT acrylate polymer with a molar mass of 1100 g mol^?1 and excellent end group fidelity was employed as a macro‐RAFT agent for the subsequent copolymerization with different acrylate monomers (2‐ethylhexyl acrylate, t‐butyl acrylate, n‐butyl acrylate). Using this procedure, a sequential multiblock‐copolymer (M_n = 31,200 g mol^?1, PDI = 1.46) consisting of five consecutive acrylate blocks was synthesized. This study clearly demonstrates the potential of using a continuous‐flow microreactor for subsequent RAFT polymerizations towards well‐defined multiblock‐copolymers. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013, 51, 2366–2374     

The glucose‐responsive behavior of a block copolymer featuring boronic acid and glycine

Glucose responsive block copolymer featuring boronic acid as a glucose responsive moiety and glycine are reported. The first block is polymerized through reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and the resulting poly(N‐acryloylmorpholine)₁₁₃ (PAcM) is employed as a macro‐chain transfer agent for chain extension with pentafluorophenyl acrylate (PFPA) yielding a well‐defined PAcM₁₁₃‐block‐poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate)₈₄ (PPFPA). The PPFPA block is then reacted with functional (3‐aminomethyl) phenyl boronic acid and glycine via post‐polymerization modification and the structure of the block copolymer is confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ¹⁹F NMR, Fourier transform infrared, and gel permeation chromatography. By copolymerizing glycine into the polymer backbone, the relative pK_a of the block copolymer is significantly lowered. The block copolymer can self‐assemble into core–shell micelles in aqueous solution and disassemble in response to glucose at the physiological pH. Furthermore, the encapsulation and release of Nile red (NR) as a hydrophobic model drug is studied under the physiological pH. The influence of the glucose concentration on the NR release from the polymeric micelles is demonstrated. These results suggested that the glucose‐responsive poly[(AcM)₁₁₃‐b‐(3‐(aminomethyl)phenylboronic acid hydrochloride(‐co‐Gly)₈₄] block copolymer has potential applications as a glucose‐responsive polymer for insulin delivery. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 422–431     

Activatable 19F MRI Nanoparticle Probes for the Detection of Reducing Environments

¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes that can detect biological phenomena such as cell dynamics, ion concentrations, and enzymatic activity have attracted significant attention. Although perfluorocarbon (PFC) encapsulated nanoparticles are of interest in molecular imaging owing to their high sensitivity, activatable PFC nanoparticles have not been developed. In this study, we showed for the first time that the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) effect can efficiently decrease the ¹⁹F NMR/MRI signals of PFCs in silica nanoparticles. On the basis of the PRE effect, we developed a reduction‐responsive PFC‐encapsulated nanoparticle probe, FLAME‐SS‐Gd³⁺ (FSG). This is the first example of an activatable PFC‐encapsulated nanoparticle that can be used for in vivo imaging. Calculations revealed that the ratio of fluorine atoms to Gd³⁺ complexes per nanoparticle was more than approximately 5.0×10², resulting in the high signal augmentation.     

ω‐Fluoro Thiafatty Acids: New Mechanistic Probes of Desaturase‐Mediated Reactions

A series of 18‐fluoro thiastearates were prepared and incubated with a yeast Δ9‐desaturating system. The relative efficiency of desaturase‐mediated sulfoxidation was monitored via ¹⁹F‐NMR analysis of the sulfoxide products, and a strong preference for oxo transfer to the S‐atom occupying the 9‐position was confirmed. The oxidation profile obtained in this manner matched that of analogous experiments with non‐fluorinated substrates. These results form the basis of a versatile ¹⁹F‐NMR‐based method for mapping the position of the putative diiron oxidant relative to substrate, and has potential application to the study of membrane‐bound desaturases in vitro.     

Parahydrogen‐Induced Polarization Transfer to 19F in Perfluorocarbons for 19F NMR Spectroscopy and MRI

Fluorinated substances are important in chemistry, industry, and the life sciences. In a new approach, parahydrogen‐induced polarization (PHIP) is applied to enhance ¹⁹F MR signals of (perfluoro‐n‐hexyl)ethene and (perfluoro‐n‐hexyl)ethane. Unexpectedly, the end‐standing CF₃ group exhibits the highest amount of polarization despite the negligible coupling to the added protons. To clarify this non‐intuitive distribution of polarization, signal enhancements in deuterated chloroform and acetone were compared and ¹⁹F–¹⁹F NOESY spectra, as well as ¹⁹F T₁ values were measured by NMR spectroscopy. By using the well separated and enhanced signal of the CF₃ group, first ¹⁹F MR images of hyperpolarized linear semifluorinated alkenes were recorded.     

AIE Fluorescent Gelators with Thermo‐, Mechano‐, and Vapochromic Properties

A series of aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) fluorescent gelators (TPE‐C_n‐Chol) were synthesized by attaching tetraphenylethylene (TPE) to cholesterol through an alkyl chain. The properties of the gel, nano‐/microaggregate, and condensed phases were studied carefully. TPE‐C_n‐Chol molecules form AIE fluorescent gels in acetone and in DMF. Their fluorescence can be reversibly switched between the “on” and “off” states by a gel–sol phase transition upon thermal treatment. The AIE properties of aggregated nano‐/microstructures in acetone/water mixtures with different water fractions were studied by using fluorescence spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In different acetone/water mixtures, the TPE‐C_n‐Chol molecules formed different nano‐/microaggregates, such as rodlike crystallites and spherical nanoparticles that showed different fluorescence colors. Finally, the condensed phase behavior of TPE‐C_n‐Chol was studied by using polarizing microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fluorescence spectrometry, fluorescence optical microscopy, and wide‐angle X ray scattering (WAXS). The clover‐shaped TPE unit introduced into the rodlike cholesterol mesogen inhibits not only the formation of a liquid‐crystal phase but also recrystallization upon cooling from the isotropic liquid phase. Very interestingly, TPE‐C_n‐Chol molecules in the condensed state change their fluorescence color under external stimuli, such as melting, grinding, and solvent fuming. The phase transition is the origin of these thermo‐, mechano‐, and vapochromic properties. These findings offer a simple and interesting platform for the creation of multistimuli‐responsive fluorescent sensors.     

Design Principles and Theory of Paramagnetic Fluorine‐Labelled Lanthanide Complexes as Probes for 19F Magnetic Resonance: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study

The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of a series of CF₃‐labelled lanthanide(III) complexes (Ln=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) with amide‐substituted ligands based on 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane are described. The theoretical contributions of the ¹⁹F magnetic relaxation processes in these systems are critically assessed and selected volumetric plots are presented. These plots allow an accurate estimation of the increase in the rates of longitudinal and transverse relaxation as a function of the distance between the Ln^III ion and the fluorine nucleus, the applied magnetic field, and the re‐rotational correlation time of the complex, for a given Ln^III ion. Selected complexes exhibit pH‐dependent chemical shift behaviour, and a pK_a of 7.0 was determined in one example based on the holmium complex of an ortho‐cyano DO3A‐monoamide ligand, which allowed the pH to be assessed by measuring the difference in chemical shift (varying by over 14 ppm) between two ¹⁹F resonances. Relaxation analyses of variable‐temperature and variable‐field ¹⁹F, ¹⁷O and ¹H NMR spectroscopy experiments are reported, aided by identification of salient low‐energy conformers by using density functional theory. The study of fluorine relaxation rates, over a field range of 4.7 to 16.5 T allowed precise computation of the distance between the Ln^III ion and the CF₃ reporter group by using global fitting methods. The sensitivity benefits of using such paramagnetic fluorinated probes in ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopic studies are quantified in preliminary spectroscopic and imaging experiments with respect to a diamagnetic yttrium(III) analogue.     

Fabrication of fluorescent surface relief patterns using AIE polymer through a soft lithographic approach

A new aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) active polymer (PS‐TPE) with high tetraphenylethene (TPE) loading density was synthesized. The synthesized polymer showed significant AIE properties, good solubility and high thermal stability. Soft‐lithographic contact printing process by using photoinduced surface relief structures on azo polymer film as masters and duplicated PDMS elastomer as stamps was used to fabricate fluorescent PS‐TPE patterns. Various fluorescent structures with high contrast including surface relief gratings, periodically dotted patterns, and quasi‐crystal structures can be easily fabricated through this approach. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1838–1845     

Tunable fluorescence conjugated copolymers consisting of tetraphenylethylene and fluorene units: From aggregation‐induced emission enhancement to dual‐channel fluorescence response

A series of new conjugated polymers PTPE_xF_y, which consist of tetraphenylethylene (TPE) units and fluorene (F) units, have been designed and synthesized by Suzuki cross‐coupling polymerization. The polymers PTPE_xF_y exhibited aggregation‐induced emission enhancement and dual‐channel fluorescence response (DCFR) when they were aggregated in solution, and these properties are related with their TPE‐to‐F ratio in the polymer backbone. For PTPE and PTPE_0.5F_0.5 , the fluorescence emission was enhanced by aggregation when water was added into their THF solutions. For the copolymers PTPE_0.3F_0.7 , PTPE_0.2F_0.8 , and PTPE_0.1F_0.9 , the DCFRs were observed when they were aggregated by adding water into their solution, which can be attributed to the different responses of fluorene segments and TPE segments to aggregation. The fluorene segments have an aggregation‐caused quenching characteristic, whereas the TPE segments have an aggregation‐induced emission characteristic. According to the fluorescence lifetime and quantum yield data of the polymer solutions, we have discovered that the polymer's natural life time increases as its TPE content increases. In the solid film, PTPE_0.3F_0.7 and PTPE_0.2F_0.8 showed better quantum yield than other polymers, due to the combination of the excellent fluorescent property of the fluorene groups and the nonplanar conformation of the TPE groups. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Multifunctional Nano‐Bioprobes Based on Rattle‐Structured Upconverting Luminescent Nanoparticles

Lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have shown great promise in versatile bioapplications. For the first time, organosilica‐shelled β‐NaLuF₄:Gd/Yb/Er nanoprobes with a rattle structure have been designed for dual‐modal imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Benefiting from the unique rattle structure and aromatic framework, these nanoprobes are endowed with a high loading capacity and the disaggregation effect of photosensitizers. After loading of β‐carboxyphthalocyanine zinc or rose Bengal into the nanoprobes, we achieved higher energy transfer efficiency from UCNPs to photosensitizers as compared to those with conventional core–shell structure or with pure‐silica shell, which facilitates a large production of singlet oxygen and thus an enhanced PDT efficacy. We demonstrated the use of these nanoprobes in proof‐of‐concept X‐ray computed tomography (CT) and UC imaging, thus revealing the great potential of this multifunctional material as an excellent nanoplatform for cancer theranostics.     

A novel azo‐containing dithiocarbamate used for living radical polymerization of methyl acrylate and styrene

A novel azo‐containing dithiocarbamate, 1‐phenylethyl N,N‐(4‐phenylazo) phenylphenyldithiocarbamate (PPADC), was successfully synthesized and used to mediate the polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) and styrene (St). In the presence of PPADC, the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was well controlled in the case of MA, however, the slightly ill‐controlled in the case of St. Interestingly, the polymerization of St could be well‐controlled when using PPADC as the initiator in the presence of CuBr/PMDETA via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique. In the cases of RAFT polymerization of MA and ATRP of St, the kinetic plots were both of first‐order, and the molecular weight of the polymer increased linearly with the monomer conversion while keeping the relatively narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n). The molecular weight of the polymer measured by gel permeation chromatographer (GPC) was also close to the theoretical value (M_n(th)). The obtained polymer was characterized by ¹H‐NMR analysis, ultraviolet absorption, FTIR spectra analysis and chain‐extension experiments. Furthermore, the photoresponsive behaviors of azobenzene‐terminated poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) and polystyrene (PS) were similar to PPADC. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5626–5637, 2008     

Elastic Polymer Coated Nanoparticles with Fast Clearance for 19F MR Imaging

¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful molecular imaging technique that enables high-resolution imaging of deep tissues without background signal interference. However, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) as ¹⁹F MRI probes has been limited by the immediate trapping and accumulation of stiff NPs, typically of around 100 nm in size, in the mononuclear phagocyte system, particularly in the liver. To address this issue, elastic nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for improving delivery efficacy in vivo. Nevertheless, the impact of elasticity on NP elimination has remained unclear due to the lack of suitable probes for real-time and long-term monitoring. In this study, we present the development of perfluorocarbon-encapsulated polymer NPs as a novel ¹⁹F MRI contrast agent, with the aim of suppressing long-term accumulation. The polymer NPs have high elasticity and exhibit robust sensitivity in ¹⁹F MRI imaging. Importantly, our ¹⁹F MRI data demonstrate a gradual decline in the signal intensity of the polymer NPs after administration, which contrasts starkly with the behavior observed for stiff silica NPs. This innovative polymer-coated NP system represents a groundbreaking nanomaterial that successfully overcomes the challenges associated with long-term accumulation, while enabling tracking of biodistribution over extended periods.