Controlled block glycopolymers able to bind specific proteins

The syntheses of a variety of amphiphilic block glycopolymers based on 2‐{(D ‐glucosamin‐2‐N‐yl)carbonyl]oxy}ethyl acrylate and n‐butyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate by single‐electron transfer‐living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP) are described. In a first step, the homopolymerization of unprotected acrylic glycomonomer to obtain well‐controlled glycopolymers is studied. Posterior and based on these studies, di‐ and triblock glycopolymers were synthesized via SET‐LRP of the glycomonomer from different hydrophobic blocks, varying the hydrophilic block lengths. All the copolymers are characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and GPC. Moreover, their water solution behavior by dynamic light scattering and their capacity of interaction with Concanavalin A lectin by turbidimetry are analyzed. The effect on the block glycopolymers behavior of hydrophobic block nature and the length of glycopolymer segments is evaluated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013