Multi-stimuli responsive boronic acid-containing polymers via recyclable nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI)-mediated photoRDRP in ionic liquid

• Published in: European polymer journal 2023-11, Vol.199, p.112443, Article 112443
• Main Authors: Kumar, Devendra, Sahu, Bhanendra, Dolui, Subrata, Rajput, Swati Singh, Alam, Md. Mehboob, Banerjee, Sanjib
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boronic acid; Diblock copolymer; pH-responsive polymer; Stimuli-responsive; Sugar responsivity; Temperature-responsive polymer
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.112443

[Display omitted] •Facile synthesis of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(4-vinylphenylboronic acid) diblock copolymers is achieved.•Recyclability of the nZVI (catalyst) and ionic liquid (solvent) is established.•The synthesized copolymer exhibited multi-stimuli responsivity against changes in pH, temperature and sugar concentration. A facile method based on recyclable nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI)-mediated photoRDRP in ionic liquid led to synthesis of narrow disperse poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(4-vinylphenylboronic acid) (PDMAEMA-b-PVPBA) diblock copolymers thereof. Stimuli response of the PDMAEMA-b-PVPBA copolymer against changes in pH, temperature and sugar concentration is assessed. Recyclability of the nZVI (catalyst) and ionic liquid (solvent) is established. Polymerization can be shut down or turned on simply by turning off or on the UV-A irradiation. This temporal control of the polymerization might be useful for wide use of the developed protocol for spatiotemporal “ON/OFF” control. DFT calculations are performed to get the geometry of the involved species.