Micellization of amphiphilic host-guest inclusion complexes of polymers based on β-cyclodextrin trimer and adamantane

The present work aims to study the self-aggregation of amphiphlic miktoarm star polymers synthesized via the inclusion complexation of adamantyl terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) (ADM-PMMA) guest, into beta-cyclodextrin grafted polyacrylamide (beta-CD-PAM) and beta-cyclodextrin trimer (3-beta-CD) grafted polyacrylamide (3-beta-CD-PAM) star polymer hosts, separately. beta-CD and 3-beta-CD based hosting star polymers have been synthesized through solution polymerization technique and the guest adamantyl terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) through the technique of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) by using an adamantine-based ATRP initiator. Further, the guest polymer has been incorporated into the host polymer via molecular recognition between adamantyl moiety and beta-CD. Construction of beta-CD-PAM-b-ADM-PMMA and 3-beta-CD-PAM-b-ADM-PMMA miktoarm star polymers has been examined by H-1 NMR and 2D H-1 NOESY NMR spectra. Their critical micellar concentrations have been estimated by using fluorescence spectroscopy. Further, sizes of the self-aggregates have been anticipated by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopic investigations.