Synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic triblock copolymers including -alanine/-methyl--alanine and ethylene glycol by "click" chemistry

Abstract

Terminally azide poly--alanine (PBA-Az) was directly obtained by hydrogen transfer polymerization of acrylamide in the presence of sodium azide as an initiator. However, terminally azide poly(-methyl -alanine) (PmBA-Az) was synthesized by the reaction between terminally bromo poly(-methyl -alanine) and sodium azide. Dipropargyllated polyethylene glycol (PEG-di-Pr) was synthesized by using the reaction of PEGs with different molecular weights and propargyl bromide. Synthesis of poly(-alanine-b-ethylene glycol-b--alanine) and poly(-methyl -alanine-b-ethylene glycol-b--methyl -alanine) amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymers was achieved via click chemistry of PBA-Az or PmBA-Az and PEG-di-Pr with different molecular weight. Click reaction parameters such as concentration and time were assessed. Macromonomers and the amphiphilic triblock copolymers were characterized by using H-1-NMR, FT-IR, MALDI-MS, TGA, and elemental analysis techniques. The multi-instruments studies of the obtained amphiphilic triblock copolymers reveal that the copolymers easily formed as a result of click chemistry.