Functional monomers and polymers. XCV. Photochemical reactions on synthetic polymers having pendant thymine bases in polymethyl methacrylate film

The photodimerization reaction of synthetic polymers which contain thymine bases was studied in polymethyl methacrylate film. The quantum efficiency for the photodimerization of the thymine bases of polyacrylate and polymethacrylate, fixed in the polymethyl methacrylate film was measured. The value of the film was higher than those measured in solution.     

Functional monomers and polymers. CVIII. Photodimerization of pendant thymine bases in thymine containing poly-lysine derivatives

The photodimerization reaction of pendant thymine bases in thymine-containing poly-lysine derivatives was studied over a wide range in aqueous solution. It was found that the quantum yield of the photodimerization of pendant thymine bases is affected mainly by the conformation of the polymers in solution. The differences in photoreaction behavior were discussed for poly-D -, poly-L -, and poly-DL -lysine derivatives.     

Functional monomers and polymers. LXXXVI. Photochemical reactions on synthetic polymers with pendant thymine bases: Effect of solvents

Photodimerization of thymine bases present on the side chain of acryloyl and methacryloyl-type polymers was studied in dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide—ethylene glycol mixture. Quantum efficiencies for photodimerization and quenching with isoprene were influenced by the solvents. The self-association of thymine bases estimated from their ultraviolet (UV) spectra and intrinsic viscosity were related to the effect of solvent on the photodimerization.     

Cation binding properties of photodimerizable polymers bearing benzodiglyme units

The polymers which have glyme units as alkali cation binding sites and photodimerizable cinnamoyl units were prepared by the radical polymerization of corresponding monomers. The alkali cation binding ability and selectivity of the polymers, which were studied by a method of picrate salts extraction, were strongly dependent on the length of glyme chains. When irradiated with ultraviolet light, the cinnamoyl groups caused dimerization in dilute solutions. Although the photodimerization of the polymers with relatively short glyme chains enhanced their cation binding ability, the photodimerization of the polymers bearing long glyme chains reduced their cation binding ability. The use of alkali metal cations as templates emphasized the effect of photodimerization on the cation binding properties. The effect of alkali metal cations on the quantum yields of the photodimerization of the polymers showed that two or more benzodiglyme units took part in the binding of one cation. The polymers bearing benzodiglymes, crown ethers, and cinnamoyl moieties were also prepared by the radical copolymerization of the corresponding monomers. It was found that the crown ether units of the copolymers predominantly participated in the cation binding. The photodimerization of the copolymers with suitable alkali metal cations as templates strongly enhanced their cation binding ability.     

Functional monomers and polymers. XCVI. Photochemical reactions on oligo- and polyethyleneimines which contain pendant thymine bases

The photodimerization reaction of oligo- and polyethyleneimine derivatives which contain pendant thymine bases in various amounts was studied in aqueous solution in a wide pH range and in N, N-dimethylformamide solution. The photodimerization reaction of these derivatives in poly(methyl methacrylate) was also studied. It was found that its quantum efficiency tended to increase as thymine units were added to the oligomers and copolymers. This result is discussed in terms of the effect of the nearest neighboring thymine units and singlet energy migration, particularly in the polymers.     

Photodimerization of Thymine-Containing Polymers: Applicability to Reversible Photoresists

The intramolecular photodimerization of thymine bases present on the side chain of a variety of synthetic oligomers and polymers was studied in detail in various organic solvents, and particularly in the case of thymine-containing polylysines, over a wide range of pH. Effects of solvents, presence of the complementary base, and spacers on the photoreaction were examined, and the conformational changes of the polymers were discussed in relation to their functionalities. Intermolecular photodimerization was further studied, and its applicability to photoresists was shown.     

Functionality and structure of polymers. II. Photodimerization of polymer-bound anthryl groups and thermal dissociation of the photodimers

Anthryl groups bound to various polyesters and polyesterurethanes as side groups were photodimerized in solid state in a nitrogen atmosphere. The rate of photodimerization is strongly affected by polymer structure as observed in the photodimerization of dilute solutions. The results revealed the importance of segment mobility rather than local concentration of anthryl groups. Temperature effects on the rate of photodimerization indicated that the rate jumped above the glass transition temperature (T_g). A definite difference in photodimerization behavior was apparent between polyesters and polyesterurethanes. Anthryl groups in polyesters were to some extent photodimerized at T_g, whereas polyesterurethanes did not react at all. Hydrogen bonding in polyesterurethanes restricted the movement of anthryl groups and consequently additional energy was required to liberate them and allow photodimerization to proceed. The anthryl groups can be recovered from the photodimerized polymers by heating to 80–100°C. The activation energy of thermal dissociation of the photodimer depends to a great extent on polymer structure. These results were interpreted as being due to the strain brought about by photodimer formation exhibited this dependence. The photodimerization–thermal dissociation cycle was reversible (reversibility: 95–100% under nitrogen). A novel principle of reversible photomemory, based on dry unit processes that consisted of image recording above T_g, fixation of image by cooling below T_g, and image erasure at elevated temperature, was proposed.     

Functional monomers and polymers. XCIII. Photochemical reactions on the acrylic and methacrylic copolymers containing thymine bases

Photodimerization of Polyacrylic and polymethacrylic derivatives with different pendant thymine unit content was studied in dimethylformamide solution. The quantum efficiency of thymine base for the photodimerization increased with increasing thymine content in the copolymers. The quenching study, which used isoprene as the quencher, revealed that the photodimerization resulted from excited singlet state increases with increasing thymine content. The photochemical results were discussed in terms of self-association of thymine bases in the polymer chain.     

Alkali cation binding of polymers with different sized crown ethers and photodimerizable units

The polymers which have different sized crown ethers as alkali cation binding sites and photodimerizable cinnamoyl units were prepared by the cationic copolymerization of corresponding monomers. The crown–cation complexation ratio (1:1 or 2:1) was investigated by measuring quantum yields ? of the photodimerization of the crown-connected cinnamoyl units in the presence of alkali metal chlorides and also by measuring the shift of λ_max of alkali metal picrates in THF on addition of the crown polymers. A significant 1:2 complex formation of alkali cations with two different sized crown ether units in the side chain of the polymers was confirmed. The alkali metal cation binding ability and selectivity of the polymers, which were studied by a method of picrate salts extraction, were markedly different from those expected from the combination of polymers of same ring-size crown ether units. When irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light, the cinnamic acid ester groups of the polymers caused dimerization even in dilute solutions. The cation binding ability of the polymers was largely enhanced by the photodimerization of the cinnamoyl moieties with suitable template cations.     

Preparation and characteristics of photocrosslinkable hydrophilic polymer having cinnamate moiety

The reaction of copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) and bromoethyl methacrylate with potassium cinnamate produced water-soluble photosensitive polymers. Photosensitive polyDMAA films were irradiated with a 400 W high-pressure mercury lamp (λ > 280 nm) to produce crosslinked polymers, which were swollen in water. The degree of swelling was controlled by the irradiation time and content of cinnamate moieties in copolymers. Higher cinnamoylation and longer irradiation time resulted in higher yield of crosslinked polymers and less swellability. Partial degelation upon irradiation at λ ～ 254 nm was observed. The advantage of gelation via photodimerization over conventional chemical crosslinking methods is discussed in conjunction with biomedical applications. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Water soluble nucleic acid analogs: Preparation and properties

In order to prepare water soluble natural and synthetic polymers, which contain nucleic acid base units as the functional side groups, a different sort of polymers, such as poly(ethyleneimine), poly(amino acids) and so on were used as the base materials. The properties of the polymers derived, in particular the specific interaction between nucleic acid base containing complementary polymers was studied in detail. Introduction of the base units onto hyaluronic acid was also carried out. Applicabilities of these polymers obtained, for example as the controlled release system by using reversible photodimerization reaction of thymine bases were also shown.     

Modulating the properties of quadruple hydrogen bonded supramolecular polymers by photo-cross-linking between the coumarin moieties

Novel linear supramolecular polymers were successfully constructed by self-assemblies of coumarin-bridged bifunctional UPy derivative.Benefitting from the photodimerization ability of the coumarin moieties,the linear supramolecular polymers could form the large three-dimensional polymer networks upon UV light irradiation via photo-cross-linking,which provides a viable and alternative procedure to modulate the properties of supramolecular polymers.     

Formation of Supramolecular Nanotubes by Self‐assembly of a Phosphate‐linked Dimeric Anthracene in Water

The assembly of supramolecular polymers from a phosphodiester‐linked dimeric anthracene is described. AFM and TEM imaging reveals that the supramolecular polymers self‐assemble into nanotubes in water. Subsequent photodimerization experiments indicate that the supramolecular polymerization occurs via end‐to‐end stacking rather than an interdigitation arrangement of the building blocks.     

Four-center type photopolymerization in the solid state. III. Polymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid and its derivatives

The solid-state photopolymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid (PDA) and its derivatives was studied as an application of solid-state photodimerization of cinnamic acid to photopolymerization of corresponding bifunctional molecule which has two cinnamic units in a single molecule. p- and m-PDA, and their esters and amides were prepared and investigated with respect to their photopolymerizability. Many of them have been found to polymerize into linear high polymers with the cyclobutane rings in the main chain on irradiation by ultraviolet or visible light. The polymerization process, the structure of the polymers, and their general properties were investigated in several ways. All the polymers are very similar to poly-2,5-distyrylpyrazine and poly-1,4-bis(β-pyridyl-2-vinyl) benzene with respect to their polymerization behavior, polymer structure, and some polymer properties: these polymers are soluble in a limited number of solvents, they have a high melting point and an extremely high crystallinity. On the basis of chemical behavior of poly-PDA and its phenyl ester the possible steric configurations of these polymers are discussed. It is demonstrated for the PDA series that solid-state dimerization can be generally extended to solid-state photopolymerization of the compound having two dimerizable units in a single molecule, although the crystal structure renders polymerization impossible in certain cases.     

Helix--coil stability constants for the naturally occurring amino acids in water. X. Tyrosine parameters from random poly(hydroxypropylglutamine-co-L-tyrosine).

The synthesis and characterization of water-soluble random copolymers containing L-tyrosine with N2-(3-hydroxypropyl)-L-glutamine are described, and the thermally induced helix--coil transitions of these copolymers in water have been studied. The incorporation of L-tyrosine was found to increase the helix content of the polymers at all temperatures. The Zimm-Bragg parameters sigma and sigma for the helix--coil transition in poly(L-tyrosine) in water were deduced from an analysis of the melting curves of the copolymers in the manner described in earlier papers. The large value of sigma indicates that, in water, tyrosine has a tendency to promote helix--coil boundaries at all temperatures; the values of sigma indicate that this residue enhances helix growth at low temperature and reduces it at high temperature.     

Functional monomers and polymers. XCIV. Photochemical reactions on the synthetic polymers containing thymine bases in the presence of adenine derivatives

Photodimerization reactions of polyacrylate and polymethacrylate derivatives and the dimer model compound containing thymine bases were studied in the presence of adenine derivatives in dimethyl sulfoxide; N,N-dimethylformamide; and dimethyl sulfoxide–ethylene glycol solutions. The photodimerization of thymine bases both in the polymers and in the dimer model compound was found to be quenched by the addition of adenine derivatives. Base-base interaction in the ground state was also studied by ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy in the three solvents. The quenching of the photodimerizationof thymine bases in the presence of adenine derivatives was discussed in terms of the specific interaction between adenine and thymine bases both in ground and excited states.     

Visibly observed photocrosslinking reaction in indolyl based pendant liquid crystalline polymers: Synthesis and optical property

Visibly observed photocrosslinkable pendant liquid crystalline polymers containing indolyl based chalcone were synthesized by free‐radical polymerization and characterized spectroscopically. The differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy were used to examine liquid crystalline property. The photocrosslinking and luminescence properties were monitored by UV‐Vis spectrophotometer and spectrofluorimeter, respectively. It demonstrates the chalcone unit did not manifest cis ? trans‐isomerization reaction along with 2π+2π photodimerization upon irradiation with UV light like other chalcones hitherto reported. The photocrosslinking was visibly monitored in solution through change of fluorescent color to colorless. The spacer lengths play a key role in the reaction. The fluorescence maximum was blue shifted around 70 nm in chloroform solution upon irradiation with UV light confirms the 2π+2π photodimerization of chalcone unit. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5208–5220, 2009     

Cation binding properties of poly(crown ethers) with photodimerizable groups

Polymers that have crown ether groups as cation binding sites and cinnamic acid ester groups as photodimerizable groups were prepared by the cationic polymerizations of 2-vinyloxyethyl 4′-(2,3-benzo-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxa-2-cyclopentadecene)acrylate and 2-vinyloxyethyl 4′-(2,3-benzo-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxa-2-cyclooctadecene)acrylate. When irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light the cinnamic acid ester groups of the polymers caused dimerization in dilute solution without the formation of insoluble materials. The irradiation was carried out in a dioxane solution and an aqueous solution in the presence and absence of salts. The effect of phototransformation of polymers on the cation binding properties was investigated by a method of picrate salts extraction. The binding ability of the phototransformed polymers for alkali and alkaline earth metal cations was higher than that of the native polymer. Furthermore the cation binding ability of the phototransformed polymers was less sensitive to temperature than that of the native polymer. The effect of the degree of photodimerization of the polymers and the concentration of KCl that exists during irradiation on the cation binding ability was also investigated.     

Photocrosslinkable smart terpolymers responding to pH,temperature, and ionic strength

A series of copolymers of acrylic acid, N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), and cinnamoyloxyethyl acrylate were synthesized and studied. The polymers were responsive to four stimuli: UV light, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The polymeric cinnamoyl chromophores underwent efficient photodimerization with concomitant photocrosslinking of the polymeric micelles. Because of the content of NIPAM, the terpolymers displayed a lower critical solution temperature, which could be controlled by the polymer composition, pH, and ionic strength. The ability to respond to the pH resulted from the content of acrylic carboxyl groups, which became protonated at low pHs. The changes in the polymer properties due to the application of the aforementioned stimuli were studied with pyrene and perylene as fluorescent probes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3879–3886, 2004     

Photosensitive polymers with cinnamate units in the side position of chains: Synthesis, monomer reactivity ratios and photoreactivity

Ethyl α-cyano-4-(methacryloxy)cinnamate was synthesized to prepare new photosensitive polymers. Homopolymerization and copolymerizations were carried out in solution in chloroform at 65 °C using AIBN as an initiator. Methyl methacrylate was chosen as comonomer for the studies of copolymerzation. The structures formed were characterized by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopies. The values of reactivity ratios of the comonomers calculated according to the Finneman-Ross method indicated that the reactivity of the synthesized photosensitive monomer is lower than that of MMA. Thin films of the obtained polymers were prepared to study their ability to crosslink under UV irradiation. The photodimerization of the cinnamate moieties was characterized.