Synthesis and Self-Assembly of β-Cyclodextrin Terminated DMA/NIPAM Diblock Copolymers

Abstract

A series of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) terminated diblock copolymers has been prepared via click reaction. The Huisgen cycloaddition between alkyne decorated copolymer and azide functionalized β-CD was performed in organic solvent in the presence of a Cu(I) catalyst, resulting in the formation of β-CD terminated diblock copolymers, which contain thermally responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) block and hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) block. Using dynamic light scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements, it is demonstrated that these β-CD functionalized block copolymers are capable of reversibly forming micelles in response to changes in solution temperature and that the critical micelle concentration, micellar size, and transition temperature are dependent on both the NIPAM block length and the polymer functionalization.

Keywords:

• β-cyclodextrin
• click reaction
• copolymer
• functionalization
• thermally responsive

Acknowledgment

Financial support from the program for NCET (NCET-07-0731), Open Project of Hunan Provincial University Innovation Platform (10K066), and The Planned Science and Technology Project of Hunan Province (2010WK2009) is gratefully acknowledged.