Vine-twining polymerization: amylose twines around polyethers to form amylose-polyether inclusion complexes

In this paper, we describe a new polymerization manner termed as "vine-twining polymerization" to produce amylose-polymer inclusion complexes. The polymerization was achieved by an enzymatic polymerization of alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate monomer catalyzed by phosphorylase in the presence of polyTHF as a guest polymer. The structure of the product was determined by X-ray powder diffraction and (1)H NMR measurements to be the inclusion complex. The formation process of the inclusion complexes during the polymerization was also evaluated. Furthermore, the formation of the inclusion complexes by this polymerization method by using polyTHFs with various M(n)s and end groups, as well as other polyethers as the guest polymers, was examined.