Amphiphilic Block Glycopolymers via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization: Synthesis, Self-Assembly and Biomolecular Recognition

In this work the synthesis of poly(butyl acrylate)-b-poly(2-{[(D-glucosamin-2-N-yl) carbonyl]oxy} ethyl methacrylate) (PBA-b-PHEMAGl) diblock glycopolymer and poly(2-{[(D-glucosamin-2-N-yl) carbonyl] oxy} ethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(butyl acrylate)-b-poly(2-{[(D-glucosamin-2-N-yl) carbonyl] oxy} ethyl methacrylate) (PHEMAGl-b-PBA-b-PHEMAGl) was performed via atom transfer radical polymerization. Monofunctional and difunctional poly(butyl acrylate) macroinitiators were used to synthesize the well-defined diblock and triblock glycopolymers by chain extension reaction with the glycomonomer HEMAGl. The self-assembly of these glycopolymers in aqueous solution was studied by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microcopy, showing the coexistence of spherical micelles and polymeric vesicles. In addition, the biomolecular recognition capacity of these micelles and vesicles, containing glucose moieties in their coronas, was investigated using the lectin Concanavalin A, Canavalia Ensiformis, which specifically interacts with glucose groups. The binding capacity of Concanavalin A with glycopolymer is influenced by the copolymer composition, increasing with the length of HEMAGl glycopolymer segment in the block copolymer. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 49: 2627-2635, 2011