A versatile platform for precise synthesis of asymmetric molecular brush in one shot

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 333 - 8
• Main Authors: Xu, Binbin, Feng, Chun, Huang, Xiaoyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24-08-2017; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/638/455/941; 639/638/455/959; Alkynes; Asymmetry; Brush plating; Chemical synthesis; Chemists; Cycloaddition; Ethylene oxide; Fabrication; Humanities and Social Sciences; Molecular weight; Monomers; multidisciplinary; Nanostructured materials; Organic chemistry; Polyethylene oxide; Polymerization; Polymers; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Structure-function relationships
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00365-2

Asymmetric molecular brushes emerge as a unique class of nanostructured polymers, while their versatile synthesis keeps a challenge for chemists. Here we show the synthesis of well-defined asymmetric molecular double-brushes comprising two different side chains linked to the same repeat unit along the backbone by one-pot concurrent atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and Cu-catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. The double-brushes are based on a poly(Br-acrylate-alkyne) homopolymer possessing an alkynyl for CuAAC reaction and a 2-bromopropionate initiating group for ATRP in each repeat unit. The versatility of this one-shot approach is demonstrated by CuAAC reaction of alkynyl/poly(ethylene oxide)-N
3
and ATRP of various monomers. We also show the quantitative conversion of pentafluorophenyl ester groups to amide groups in side chains, allowing for the further fabrication of diverse building blocks. This work provides a versatile platform for facile synthesis of Janus-type double-brushes with structural and functional control, in a minimum number of reactions.
Producing well-defined polymer compositions and structures facilitates their use in many different applications. Here the authors show the synthesis of well-defined asymmetric double-brushes by a one-pot concurrent atom transfer radical polymerization and Cu-catalyzed Click reaction.