Use of β-cyclodextrins to control the structure of water-soluble copolymers with hydrophobic parts

• Published in: Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry Polymer chemistry, 2009-12, Vol.47 (23), p.6619-6629
• Main Authors: Nielsen, A.L, Andersen, M.B.O, Bugge, T.V, Nielsen, C.F, Nielsen, T.B, Wimmer, R, Yu, D, Larsen, K.L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Backbone; Cadmium sulfides; calorimetry; Copolymerization; Copolymers; cyclodextrins; Exact sciences and technology; host-guest systems; Monomers; Organic polymers; Phenyls; Physicochemistry of polymers; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; radical polymerization; Reproduction; Solubility; supramolecular structures; Synthesis
• ISSN: 0887-624X; 1099-0518; 1099-0518
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.23704

In this article, we present the synthesis and characterization of water-soluble polymers with hydrophobic moieties. The polymers were synthesized in aqueous solutions utilizing β-cyclodextrins as solubility enhancers to bring the hydrophobic monomers into solution. Polymers were made with different spacing between polymer backbone and phenyl moiety by using styrene, allylbenzene, and 4-phenyl-1-butene as hydrophobic moieties, respectively. The effect of the presence of CDs during synthesis as well as this difference in spacing was investigated by rebinding free β-CDs to the polymers. The interactions between polymers and CDs were studied by ITC and this revealed some differences between the polymers. Polymers made in the presence of CDs showed a markedly stronger binding to free CDs. The same was observed with polymers with a longer spacing between backbone and phenyl moiety.