Well-defined poly(oxazoline)-b-poly(acrylate) amphiphilic copolymers: From synthesis by polymer-polymer coupling to self-organization in water

In this contribution, we report on the self-assembly in water of original amphiphilic poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) copolymers, synthesized by copper-catalyzed azidealkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. For such purpose, (poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)) and (poly(tert-butyl acrylate)) are first prepared by cationic ring-opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization, respectively. Well-defined polymeric building blocks, omega-N3-P(t-BA) and a-alkyne-P(MOx), bearing reactive chain end groups, are accurately characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight spectroscopy. Then, P(MOx)n-b-P(t-BA)m are achieved by polymerpolymer coupling and are fully characterized by diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography, demonstrating the obtaining of pure amphiphilic copolymers. Consequently, the latter lead to the formation in water of well-defined monodisperse spherical micelles (RH = 4060 nm), which are studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, static light scattering, atomic force microscope, and transmission electronic microscopy. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013