A systematic investigation of the ring size effects on the free radical ring-opening polymerization (rROP) of cyclic ketene acetal (CKA) using both experimental and theoretical approach

Radical ring-opening polymerization (rROP) reaction of cyclic ketene acetals (CKA) is an interesting route to biodegradable polymers. Contrary to their tremendous potential, fundamental understanding of their reaction kinetics and thermodynamics is still limited. We present experimental and theoretical investigations for rROP reactions of CKA to systematically elucidate the effects of monomer ring sizes on the homopolymerization. We aim to provide insights on the structural-reactivity relationship of CKA by studying the thermodynamics and kinetics of the forward ring-opening propagation reactions and key side reactions, namely ring-retained propagation and radical back-biting reaction leading to branching. Experimental results show that for the CKA with smaller ring sizes, significant amount of ring-retained side products are formed when up to 90% of the monomers are converted. However, for the larger ring sizes (7 and 8 membered), almost complete ring-opening polymerization with <1% of ring-retained products are formed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that kinetic effects from the collision frequency dominate in differentiating between ring-opening propagation, ring-retained propagation, and backbiting. The results corroborate well with experiments and reports in the literature. Our systematic study from the first principle and experimental validation provide insights into CKA rROP to apply radical polymerization to generate biodegradable polymers.     

Light harvesting and energy transfer within coumarin‐labeled polymers

Linear copolymers that have pendant coumarin‐2 and coumarin‐343 chromophores were prepared as analogues to previously synthesized light‐harvesting dendrimers. The chromophore ratios within these polymers were maintained similar to those of the various generation dendrimers to investigate the effect of polymer architecture on the energy‐transfer efficiency between the coumarin‐2 donors and coumarin‐343 acceptors. Both physical and photophysical properties of these polymers were analyzed and compared to those of the analogous dendrimers. Energy‐transfer efficiencies were relatively high in the polymers; however, deleterious excimer formation between the coumarin‐343 chromophores diminished the quantum yield of fluorescence of the polymers when compared to the analogous dendrimers. Overall, it was found that the ultimate performance of the dendritic light‐harvesting antennae was superior to that of the polymeric analogues, but the polymers were more practical in terms of synthetic accessibility. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1366–1373, 2001     

Photodeformable spherical hybrid nanoparticles

We report the first synthesis of spherical nanoparticles of a bridged polysilsesquioxane. The hard, brittle nanoparticles are prepared by a simple sol-gel polymerization without surfactants or templates. Particle size ranges from 50 to 100 nm. The organic component of these hybrid nanoparticles is composed of a photolabile coumarin dimer. Irradiation with UV light dissociates the photodimer resulting in rupture of the cross-links and subsequent deformation and eventual "melting" of the nanoparticles.     

Mechanochemical Degradation and Recycling of Synthetic Polymers

The accumulation of plastic waste, due to lack of recycling, has led to serious environmental pollution. Although mechanical recycling can alleviate this issue, it inevitably reduces the molecular weight and weakens the mechanical properties of materials and is not suitable for mixed materials. Chemical recycling, on the other hand, breaks the polymer into monomers or small-molecule constituents, allowing for the preparation of materials of quality comparable to that of the virgin polymers and can be applied to mixed materials. Mechanochemical degradation and recycling leverages the advantages of mechanical techniques, such as scalability and efficient energy use, to achieve chemical recycling. We summarize recent progress in mechanochemical degradation and recycling of synthetic polymers, including both commercial polymers and those designed for more efficient mechanochemical degradation. We also point out the limitations of mechanochemical degradation and present our perspectives on how the challenges can be mitigated for a circular polymer economy.     

A new soft-matter material with old chemistry: Passerini multicomponent polymerization-induced assembly of AIE-active double-helical polymers with rapid visible-light degradability

Mimicking the superstructures and functions of natural chiral materials is beneficial to understand specific biological activities in living organisms and broaden applications in the fields of chemistry and materials sciences. However, it is still a great challenge to construct water-soluble, double-helical polymers with multiple responsiveness. Herein, we report for the first time a straightforward, general strategy to address this issue by taking advantage of Passerini multicomponent polymerization-induced assembly (PMPIA). The polymerization-induced generation of supramolecular interactions in chiral α-acyloxy amides drives the assembly of polymers and improves their stability in various solvents. This double-helical polymer is sensitive to metal ions, temperature, pH, and solvents, making both the superstructure and the AIE effect reversibly adjustable. Meanwhile, the hydrogen-bonding-assisted cyclization of photolabile α-acyloxy amides accelerates the degradation of helical polymers under visible-light irradiation. It is anticipated that this novel PMPIA strategy opens new horizons to inspire the design of advanced chiral/helical polymers with multiple functions.

Passerini multicomponent polymerization-induced assembly is reported to design a water-soluble, AIE-active, double-helical polymer with reversible multi-responsiveness to external stimuli and rapid visible-light degradability.     

Polyesters by a Radical Pathway: Rationalization of the Cyclic Ketene Acetal Efficiency

Radical ring-opening polymerization (rROP) of cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs) combines the advantages of both ring-opening polymerization and radical polymerization thereby allowing the robust production of polyesters coupled with the mild polymerization conditions of a radical process. rROP was recently rejuvenated by the possibility to copolymerize CKAs with classic vinyl monomers leading to the insertion of cleavable functionality into a vinyl-based copolymer backbone and thus imparting (bio)degradability. Such materials are suitable for a large scope of applications, particularly within the biomedical field. The competition between the ring-opening and ring-retaining propagation routes is a major complication in the development of efficient CKA monomers, ultimately leading to the use of only four monomers that are known to completely ring-open under all experimental conditions. In this article we investigate the radical ring-opening polymerization of model CKA monomers and demonstrate by the combination of DFT calculations and kinetic modeling using PREDICI software that we are now able to predict in silico the ring-opening ability of CKA monomers.     

Photodimerization of Coumarin Functionalized Poly(alkyl Acrylate) and Poly(alkyl Methacrylate) Random Copolymers: Influence of Copolymer Composition on Photocrosslinking

Coumarin‐containing poly(alkyl (meth)acrylates) were prepared via 70–80% esterification of hydroxy‐containing acrylic copolymers, then solution cast into thin films and photocrosslinked via the dimerization of coumarin derivatives with UVA light. The coumarin‐modified polymers crosslinked upon exposure and exhibited gel fractions between 74 and 99%. Coumarin dimerization efficiency increased with higher polymer mobility at the irradiation temperature. The effects of light intensity and irradiation time in photo‐dimerized systems followed the Bunsen‐Roscoe reciprocity law indicating that coumarin photodimerization depended only on dose. Thus, low intensities are overcome with longer times. This is an important advantage over photoinitiated free radical crosslinking which depends on irradiation intensity to the ½ power.     

Photochemically degradable polymers containing metal-metal bonds along their backbones: the effect of stress on the rates of photochemical degradation

The syntheses of polymers that have metal-metal bonds along their backbones are described. The polymers are photodegradable because the metal-metal bonds homolyze when irradiated with visible light. The photochemical reactions of the polymers in solution are identical to the photochemical reactions of the discrete metal-metal bonded dimers. Typical reactions include metal-metal bond disproportionation and metal radical capture, for example, by chlorine atom abstraction from carbon tetrachloride. The polymers are also photochemically degradable in the solid state; thin films of the polymers degrade when irradiated with visible light in the presence of oxygen or in the absence of oxygen if the polymer backbone has a built-in radical trap. The origin of tensile stress-induced rate enhancements in the photodegradation of polymers was studied using the polymers with metal-metal bonds along their backbones and with built-in radical traps. By eliminating the need for external oxygen to act as a radical trap, the experimentally challenging problem of diffusion-controlled oxidation kinetics was avoided. Analysis of plots of quantum yields for degradation vs. stress reveals that stress increases the separation of the radical fragments produced by photolysis. An increased separation leads to less radical-radical recombination, which increases the efficiency of degradation. Quantitative knowledge of the factors that control polymer degradation rates will eventually allow synthesis of an ideal photodegradable polymer - one that has a tunable onset of degradation and that degrades quickly once degradation has started.     

用ATRP法构筑核壳型梯度极性的多羟基多臂星状超支化聚合物及聚合物刷——三层聚合物刷的合成与表征

设计并通过原子转移自由基聚合方法 (ATRP)合成了核壳型具有梯度极性的多羟基多臂星状聚合物刷 .端羟基超支化聚 (3 乙基 3 羟甲基氧杂环丁烷 )与 2 溴 异丁基酰溴反应制得大分子引发剂 (HP Br) ,以Cu(I)Br和N ,N ,N′ ,N′ ,N″ 五甲基二乙基三胺 (PMDETA)为催化体系 ,进行甲基丙烯酸甲酯 (MMA)的ATRP反应 ,得到以甲基丙烯酸甲酯为臂的多臂星状超支化聚合物 (HP g PMMA) .又以HP g PMMA为引发剂 ,进行甲基丙烯酸羟乙酯 (HEMA)的ATRP聚合 ,得到核壳型具有梯度极性的多羟基多臂星状超支化聚合物 (HP g PMMA b PHEMA) ,继续将其羟基官能团溴代化 (与 2 溴 异丁基酰溴反应 ) ,引发HEMA的ATRP溶液聚合 ,得到了多臂星状超支化聚合物刷 .产物的结构用1 H NMR、FTIR、GPC等进行了表征和测试 .     

Synthesis and characterization of polymethacrylate-based nitric oxide donors

A synthetic path for the preparation of methacrylic homo- and copolymers containing secondary amine groups that can be converted into nitric oxide (NO) releasing N-diazeniumdiolates is described. The polymers are obtained by a multistep procedure involving synthesis of methacrylate monomers containing boc-protected secondary amine sites, free radical benzoyl peroxide initiated polymerization, deprotection of the amine sites, and subsequent reaction of the polymers with NO in the presence of sodium methoxide. Monomers with both linear and cyclic pendant secondary amines are examined as polymer building blocks. In most cases, polymers are obtained for both types with compositions that agree well with initial monomer ratios and with number average molecular weights (M(n)) ranging from 1.69 to 2.58 x 10(6) Da. The final N-diazeniumdiolated methacrylic amine polymers are shown to release NO for extended periods of time with "apparent" t(1/2) values ranging from 30 to 60 min when suspended in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. Total NO loading and release for these materials can reach 1.99 micromol per mg of polymer and is proportional to the amine content of the polymer. It is further shown that by using a dimethacrylate cross-linking agent in conjunction with the various methacrylate amines, suspension polymerization methods can be employed to create small (100-200 microm) polymeric methacrylate microbeads. Such microbeads that can be sequentially deprotected and converted to NO release particles via in-situ diazeniumdiolate formation as carried out for the non-crosslinked polymers.     

Regulating Degradation Pathways of Polymers by Radical-Triggered Luminescence

Understanding the radical behaviours during polymer degradation is beneficial to unveil and regulate the degradation pathways of polymers to achieve a sustainable polymer development. However, it is a long-standing challenge to study radical behaviours owing to the ultra-short lifetime of the transient radicals generated during the polymer degradation. In this contribution, we have proposed the radical-triggered luminescence to monitor the radical behaviours during polymer degradation without/with the addition of inorganic additives. It was disclosed that the pure polymers showed a single sigmoidal dynamic curve from peroxy radicals (ROO⋅) emissions, leading to the exponential proliferation for the degradation evolution. Alternatively, the degradation pathways with the addition of additives, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with positively charged Al centers, could be modulated into a double sigmoidal dynamics, involving the main product of alkoxy radicals (RO⋅) with the activation energy of 40.2 kJ/mol and a small amount of ROO⋅ with 76.3 kJ/mol, respectively. Accordingly, the polymers with the additive-regulated pathways could exhibit prominently anti-degradation behaviours. This work is beneficial for the deep understanding of the radical mechanisms during polymer degradation, and for the rational design of anti-degradation polymers.     

“点击”反应在制备环状聚合物中的应用

环状聚合物具有不同于线性高分子的独特性质,是一类具有应用前景的新型聚合物材料,但复杂的结构导致其合成过程复杂繁琐.＂点击＂化学由于其高效、可靠、高选择性的特点已成为拓扑高分子合成的新方法,活性自由基聚合（ATRP、RAFT和NMP）具有聚合物结构可控等特点,二者联用为环状聚合物的合成拓宽了思路.本文就近几年＂点击＂反应、＂点击＂反应与活性自由基聚合联用以及其他方法联用在环状聚合物中的应用进行综述.＂点击＂反应与这些方法的结合将在功能性环状聚合物的设计与合成中发挥积极的作用.     

Polyesters by a Radical Pathway: Rationalization of the Cyclic Ketene Acetal Efficiency

Radical ring‐opening polymerization (rROP) of cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs) combines the advantages of both ring‐opening polymerization and radical polymerization thereby allowing the robust production of polyesters coupled with the mild polymerization conditions of a radical process. rROP was recently rejuvenated by the possibility to copolymerize CKAs with classic vinyl monomers leading to the insertion of cleavable functionality into a vinyl‐based copolymer backbone and thus imparting (bio)degradability. Such materials are suitable for a large scope of applications, particularly within the biomedical field. The competition between the ring‐opening and ring‐retaining propagation routes is a major complication in the development of efficient CKA monomers, ultimately leading to the use of only four monomers that are known to completely ring‐open under all experimental conditions. In this article we investigate the radical ring‐opening polymerization of model CKA monomers and demonstrate by the combination of DFT calculations and kinetic modeling using PREDICI software that we are now able to predict in silico the ring‐opening ability of CKA monomers.     

Photocaged pendent thiol polymer brush surfaces for postpolymerization modifications via thiol‐click chemistry

In this work, a postpolymerization surface modification approach is reported that provides pendent thiol functionality along the polymer brush backbone using the photolabile protection chemistry of both o‐nitrobenzyl and p‐methoxyphenacyl thioethers. Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) brushes were synthesized via surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization, after which the pHEMA hydroxyl groups were esterified with 3‐(2‐nitrobenzylthio)propanoic acid or 3‐(2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐2‐oxoethylthio)propanoic acid to provide the photolabile protected pendent thiols. Addressing the protecting groups with light not only affords spatial control of reactive thiol functionality but enables a plethora of thiol‐mediated transformations with isocyanates and maleimides providing a modular route to create functional polymer surfaces. This concept was extended to block copolymer brush architectures enabling the modification of the chemical functionality of both the inner and outer blocks of the block copolymer surface. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Polydopamine as a Visible-Light Photosensitiser for Photoinitiated Polymerisation

Polydopamine (PDA) is a synthetic model for melanin and has a wide range of opto-electronic properties that underpin its utility in applied and biological settings, from broadband light absorbance to possessing stable free radical species. Here, we show that PDA free radicals are photo-responsive under visible light irradiation, enabling PDA to serve as a photo-redox catalyst. Steady-state and transient electron spin resonance spectroscopy reveals a reversible amplification in semiquinone radical population within PDA under visible light. This photo-response modifies the redox potential of PDA and supports sensitisation of exogenous species via photoinduced electron transfer (PET). We demonstrate the utility of this discovery by employing PDA nanoparticles to photosensitise a common diaryliodonium photoinitiator and initiate free-radical polymerisation (FRP) of vinylic monomers. In situ ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals an interplay between PDA-driven photosensitising and radical quenching during FRP under blue, green, and red light. This work provides crucial insights into the photoactive free radical properties of melanin-like materials and reveals a promising new application for polydopamine as a photosensitiser.     

The stability of aliphatic azo linkages influences the controlled scission of degradable polyurethanes

A better understanding of polymer degradation and post-degradation processes are essential for the development of novel degradable polymers. Herein, we present the synthesis of a new aliphatic azo-containing polyurethane and its degradation behavior toward external stimuli like heat and UV light. A relatively stable radical forming azo-monomer present in the current polyurethane is readily undergoing thermal degradation, whereas the azo-group is less susceptible to optical degradation. A comparison of the stimuli-responsive properties of the new azo-polymer with a previously known, relatively active radical forming monomer incorporated azo-polymer reveals the dependencies of the monomer and radical stability in the controlled degradation process. Our results point toward the importance of radical activity in azo-containing polymers.     

Photocross-Linkable Polymers

Several processes of photocross-linking of polymers are based on the photodimerization of unsaturated groups and on the photodissociation of light labile groups, such as azides. In the present paper we will consider three different methods of cross-linking:

1. Photoinitiation of free radical polymerization of unsaturated side groups attached to a polymer molecule in the presence of a suitable photoinitiator, such as benzoin alkyl ether.

2. Photoinitiation of cationic polymerization of oxirane side groups in the presence of photolabile amine salts, such as diazonium salts, giving rise to the formation of Lewis acid.

3. Electron donor/acceptor complexation of side groups which on photoexcitation exchange an hydrogen atom; this results in cross-linking by free radical combination.     

Synthesis and photochromism of polymer-bound phenoxyquinone derivatives

Acrylate- and styrene-derived polymers having pendant phenoxyquinones for photochromism were prepared by 2,2′-azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN)-initiated radical polymerization. Synthesis of the monomers were straightforward and the polymers were obtained in high yields in spite of the quinone moieties presented in the monomers, which usually can function as radical scavengers and/or catalysts poison. Photo-induced rearrangement from the “trans”-quinone forms to the “ana”-quinone forms readily occurred when the polymer films were irradiated with UV light.     

Ultraviolet-B-Induced Damage to Escherichia coli Fpg Protein

We investigated the effect of UVB light (290 < or = lambda < or = 320 nm) on the structure and enzymatic activities of Escherichia coli Fpg protein (2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5N-methylformamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase), a DNA repair enzyme containing a zinc finger motif and five chromophoric Trp residues. Irradiation with UVB light of air-saturated pH 7.4 buffered aqueous solutions of Fpg induces the formation of polymers as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis. In argon-saturated solutions, polymer formation produces a precipitate. The polymerization quantum yield is 0.07 +/- 0.01 and 0.15 +/- 0.02 in air- and argon-saturated solutions, respectively. In the polymerized Fpg protein, second-derivative absorption spectroscopy indicates that three and one Trp residues are destroyed in air- and argon-saturated solutions, respectively. Polymers are devoid of all three activities of the Fpg protein, whereas the unpolymerized protein retains full activities. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization experiments demonstrate that polymer formation is accompanied by the formation of short polypeptides containing the first 32 or 33 residues of the N-terminal domain. Theses polypeptides are most probably formed by the photolytic cleavage of Fpg protein induced by light absorption by the adjacent Trp-34 residue.     

Stimuli Induced Uptake of Protein-Like Peptide Brush Polymers

Recently, we presented a strategy for packaging peptides as side-chains in high-density brush polymers. For this globular protein-like polymer (PLP) formulation, therapeutic peptides were shown to resist proteolytic degradation, enter cells efficiently and maintain biological function. In this paper, we establish the role charge plays in dictating the cellular uptake of these peptide formulations, finding that peptides with a net positive charge will enter cells when polymerized, while those formed from anionic or neutral peptides remain outside of cells. Given these findings, we explored whether cellular uptake could be selectively induced by a stimulus. In our design, a cationic peptide is appended to a sequence of charge-neutralizing anionic amino acids through stimuli-responsive cleavable linkers. As a proof-of-concept study, we tested this strategy with two different classes of stimuli, exogenous UV light and an enzyme (a matrix metalloproteinase) associated with the inflammatory response. The key finding is that these materials enter cells only when acted upon by the stimulus. This approach makes it possible to achieve delivery of the polymers, therapeutic peptides or an appended cargo into cells in response to an appropriate stimulus.