Heterotelechelic Silicones: Facile Synthesis and Functionalization Using Silane-Based Initiators.

The synthetic utility of heterotelechelic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) derivatives is limited due to challenges in preparing materials with high chain-end fidelity. In this study, anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP) of hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3) monomers using a specifically designed silyl hydride (Si-H)-based initiator provides a versatile approach toward a library of heterotelechelic PDMS polymers. A novel initiator, where the Si-H terminal group is connected to a C atom (H-Si-C) and not an O atom (H-Si-O) as in traditional systems, suppresses intermolecular transfer of the Si-H group, leading to heterotelechelic PDMS derivatives with a high degree of control over chain ends. In situ termination of the D3 propagating chain end with commercially available chlorosilanes (alkyl chlorides, methacrylates, and norbornenes) yields an array of chain-end-functionalized PDMS derivatives. This diversity can be further increased by hydrosilylation with functionalized alkenes (alcohols, esters, and epoxides) to generate a library of heterotelechelic PDMS polymers. Due to the living nature of ring-opening polymerization and efficient initiation, narrow-dispersity (D < 1.2) polymers spanning a wide range of molar masses (2-11 kg mol-1) were synthesized. With facile access to α-Si-H and ω-norbornene functionalized PDMS macromonomers (H-PDMS-Nb), the synthesis of well-defined supersoft (G' = 30 kPa) PDMS bottlebrush networks, which are difficult to prepare using established strategies, was demonstrated.

Micellar Assembly and Disassembly of Organoselenium Block Copolymers through Alkylation and Dealkylation Processes.

The aim of this work is to demonstrate that the alkylation and dealkylation of selenium atoms is an effective tool in controlling polymer amphiphilicity and, hence, its assembly and disassembly process in water. To establish this concept, poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(glycidyl methacrylate) was prepared. A post-synthesis modification with phenyl selenolate through a base-catalyzed selenium-epoxy 'click' reaction then gave rise to the side-chain selenium-containing block copolymer with an amphiphilic character. This polymer assembled into micellar structures in water. However, silver tetrafluoroborate-promoted alkylation of the selenium atoms resulted in the formation of hydrophilic selenonium tetrafluoroborate salts. This enhancement in the chemical polarity of the second polymer block removed the amphiphilic character from the polymer chain and led to the disassembly of the micellar structures. This process could be reversed by restoring the original amphiphilic polymer character through the dealkylation of the cations.

Aggregation-free and high stability core-shell polymer nanoparticles with high fullerene loading capacity, variable fullerene type, and compatibility towards biological conditions.

Fullerenes have unique structural and electronic properties that make them attractive candidates for diagnostic, therapeutic, and theranostic applications. However, their poor water solubility remains a limiting factor in realizing their full biomedical potential. Here, we present an approach based on a combination of supramolecular and covalent chemistry to access well-defined fullerene-containing polymer nanoparticles with a core-shell structure. In this approach, solvophobic forces and aromatic interactions first come into play to afford a micellar structure with a poly(ethylene glycol) shell and a corannulene-based fullerene-rich core. Covalent stabilization of the supramolecular assembly then affords core-crosslinked polymer nanoparticles. The shell makes these nanoparticles biocompatible and allows them to be dried to a solid and redispersed in water without inducing interparticle aggregation. The core allows a high content of different fullerene types to be encapsulated. Finally, covalent stabilization endows nanostructures with stability against changing environmental conditions.

Selenonium Polyelectrolyte Synthesis through Post-Polymerization Modifications of Poly (Glycidyl Methacrylate) Scaffolds.

Atom transfer radical polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate monomer with poly(ethylene glycol)-based macroinitiators leads to the formation of reactive block copolymers. The epoxide side-chains of these polymers can be subjected to a regiospecific base-catalyzed nucleophilic ring-opening reaction with benzeneselenol under ambient conditions. The ß-hydroxy selenide linkages thus formed can be alkylated to access polyselenonium salts. 77Se-NMR indicates the formation of diastereomers upon alkylation. In such a manner, sequential post-polymerization modifications of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) scaffolds via selenium-epoxy and selenoether alkylation reactions furnish practical access to poly(ethylene glycol)-based cationic organoselenium copolymers.

Polyselenonium salts: synthesis through sequential selenium-epoxy 'click' chemistry and Se-alkylation.

With the help of amphiphilic homopolymers, this work explores three new avenues in polymer chemistry: (i) the 'click' nature of the selenium-epoxy reaction, (ii) alkylation of the seleno-ethers as a means to prepare cationic polyelectrolytes, and (iii) the antibacterial activity of polyselenonium salts.

Disulfides as mercapto-precursors in nucleophilic ring opening reaction of polymeric epoxides: establishing equimolar stoichiometric conditions in a thiol-epoxy 'click' reaction.

The base-catalyzed oxirane ring opening reaction with thiol nucleophiles is frequently employed for post-polymerization modification of polymeric glycidyl scaffolds. Due to various beneficial attributes, it is often referred to as a 'click' reaction. However, the tendency of the free thiol molecules to undergo oxidative dimerization through the formation of a disulfide bond under ambient conditions results in partial consumption of the sulfhydryl precursors. Therefore, an excess of the thiol precursors is typically used to counterbalance the side-reaction. This violates the equimolar stoichiometry conditions required for 'click' reactions in the context of polymer synthesis. Here, we show that commercially available disulfides can be used to generate the necessary thiolate nucleophiles in situ through the reduction of the SS-bond with sodium borohydride. Such activation strategy eliminates the sulfhydryl oxidation mechanism to disulfides and ensures that the post-synthesis functionalization of epoxy polymers can be performed under equimolar 'click' conditions.

Hypersensitive azobenzenes: facile synthesis of clickable and cleavable azo linkers with tunable and high reducibility.

The aim of this work is to show that by increasing the number of donor substituents in a donor/acceptor system, the sensitivity of the azobenzene linkage towards a reductive cleavage reaction can be enhanced to unprecedented high levels. For instance, in a triple-donor system, less than a second constitutes the half-life of the azo (N[double bond, length as m-dash]N) bond. Synthetic access to such redox active scaffolds is highly practical and requires only 1-2 synthetic steps. The fundamental molecular design is also adaptable. This is demonstrated through scaffold functionalization by azide, tetraethylene glycol, and biotin groups. The availability of the azide group is shown in a copper-free 'click' reaction suitable in context with protein conjugation and proteomics application. Finally, the clean nature of the scission process is demonstrated with the help of liquid chromatography coupled with mass analysis. This work, therefore, describes development of cleavable azobenzene linkers that can be accessed with synthetic ease, can be multiply functionalized, and show a clean and rapid response to mild reducing conditions.

Biologically activatable azobenzene polymers targeted at drug delivery and imaging applications.

Molecular design concepts are described for the preparation of azobenzene polymers capable of showing a tunable response to the rat liver microsome-induced side-chain self-immolation process under hypoxic conditions. It is shown that azobenzene nuclei carrying a donor/acceptor substitution pattern are the most active system towards the enzymatically triggered azobenzene cleavage reaction (half-life = t1/2 = 6 min). Their activity is followed by azobenzene nuclei carrying donor/donor (t1/2 = 20 min), electronically non-substituted (t1/2 = 72 min), and acceptor (t1/2 = 78 min) systems. This trend is preserved when a chemical stimulus, sodium dithionite, replaces the biological reducing conditions and demonstrates generality of the findings, and their potential in proteomics procedures. Furthermore, the established design concepts also permit for variation in polymer structure and topology while still maintaining the electronic substitution pattern. The steric constraints or the inherent character (hydrophilic/hydrophobic) of the azobenzene, however, does not alter the fate of the scission reaction. In all cases, the self-immolation process allows the polymer chain to convert from a chemically neutral to a cationic state. This structural transformation can be used as an activation mechanism (in vitro) to gain entry into cells through electrostatic interactions with the oppositely charged cell membrane and to deliver an anticancer drug. Interestingly, polymer structure now plays a role and bottlebrush-like copolymer show higher selectivity and faster cellular uptake. Finally, the best performing polymer allows for structural modulation into a fluorescent imaging probe. In vivo application to mice suffering from colitis confirms accumulation of the imaging probe in the diseased colon and cecum parts of the body where the endogenous microbial flora is known to produce the activation enzyme. This work, therefore, establishes general principles for the molecular design of biologically activatable and cleavable azobenzene-based polymeric scaffolds applicable to delivery and imaging applications.

An activatable anticancer polymer-drug conjugate based on the self-immolative azobenzene motif.

Triggered cellular uptake of a synthetic graft copolymer carrying an anticancer drug is achieved through self-immolation of the side-chain azobenzene groups. In this concept, the conjugate is initially chemically neutral and does not possess cell-penetrating function. However, upon cleavage of the azobenzene moieties, a cascade process is initiated that ultimately reveals an ammonium cation in the vicinity of the polymer backbone. Hence, self-immolation results in the transformation of the neutral polymer chain into a polycation. This structural transformation allows the conjugate to be taken up by the cancer cells through favorable electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged phospholipid components of the cell membrane. Once inside the cells, the polymer releases covalently attached doxorubicin in a pristine form through a low pH activated release mechanism. The significance of this approach lies in the sensitivity of the azobenzene group to hypoxic conditions and to the enzyme azoreductase that is secreted by the microbial flora of the human colon and suggests a pathway to targeted drug delivery applications under these conditions.