Phillips, Daniel J. and Gibson, Matthew I. (2012) Biodegradable Poly(disulfide)s Derived from RAFT Polymerization: Monomer Scope, Glutathione Degradation, and Tunable Thermal Responses. Biomacromolecules, Vol. 13 (No. 10). pp. 3200-3208. doi:10.1021/bm300989s

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Abstract

Telechelic, RAFT (reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer)-derived macromonomers with a pyridyl disulfide end-group were converted into high molecular weight, disulfide-linked polymers using a polycondensation, step-growth procedure. The applicability of the method to polycondense a library of macromonomers with different functionalities including (meth)acrylates and acrylamides was investigated. Side-chain sterics were found to be important as nonlinear poly(ethylene glycol) analogues, which proved incompatible with this synthetic methodology, as were methacrylates due to their pendant methyl group. This method was used to incorporate disulfide bonds into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), pNIPAM, precursors to give dual-responsive (thermo- and redox) materials. These polymers were shown to selectively degrade in the presence of intracellular concentrations of glutathione but be stable at low concentrations. Due to the molecular weight-dependent cloud point of pNIPAM, the lower critical solution temperature behavior could be switched off by a glutathione gradient without a temperature change: an isothermal transition.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Chemistry
Journal or Publication Title:	Biomacromolecules
Publisher:	American Chemical Society
ISSN:	1525-7797
Official Date:	2012
Dates:	Date Event 2012 Published
Volume:	Vol. 13
Number:	No. 10
Page Range:	pp. 3200-3208
DOI:	10.1021/bm300989s
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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