Functional Brush Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazine)s: Synthesis by CROP and RAFT, Thermoresponsiveness and Grafting onto Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Tobias Klein, Joshua Parkin, Patrick A.J.M. de Jongh, Lars Esser, Tara Sepehrizadeh, Gang Zheng, Michael De Veer, Karen Alt, Christoph E. Hagemeyer, David M. Haddleton, Thomas P. Davis, Mukundan Thelakkat, Kristian Kempe

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23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Brush polymers are highly functional polymeric materials combining the properties of different polymer classes and have found numerous applications, for example, in nanomedicine. Here, the synthesis of functional phosphonate-ester-bearing brush polymers based on poly(2-oxazine)s is reported through a combination of cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) of 2-ethyl-2-oxazine and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. In this way, a small library of well-defined (Đ ≤ 1.17) poly(oligo(2-ethyl-2-oxazine) methacrylate) P(OEtOzMA) n brushes with tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior and negligible cell toxicity is prepared. Upon deprotection, the phosphonic acid end-group of the P(OEtOzMA) n brush enables the successful grafting-onto iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). Colloidal stability of the particle suspension in combination with suitable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxivities demonstrates the potential of these particles for future applications as negative MRI contrast agents.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1800911
Number of pages6
JournalMacromolecular Rapid Communications
Volume40
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2019

Keywords

  • iron oxide nanoparticles
  • LCST behavior
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • poly(2-oxazine)s
  • polymer brushes

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