2,6-Bis(1-butyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)pyridine-capped poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)s: synthesis, complexation with metal ions, and self-assembly behavior

In this contribution, we reported the synthesis of 2,6-bis(1-butyl-1H-1,2,3- triazol-1-yl)pyridine-capped poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)s (denoted BTP-PVPy). First, a 2,6-bis-(1-butyl-1H-[1,2,3]triazol-4-yl)-pyridin-4-yl]-methanol (BTP-CH2OH) was synthesized. The as-obtained BTP-CH2OH was then employed to react with 4-cyano-4-isopropoxythiocarbonylsulfanyl-4-methyl-butyric acid to obtain a BTP-functionalized xanthate. The latter was used to mediate the radical polymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP). It was found that the radical polymerization of NVP was in living/controlled manner in the presence of BTP-functionalized xanthate. By controlling the molar ratios of NVP to the BTP-functionalized xanthate, the BTP-capped PVPy samples were obtained with various lengths of PVPy chains. The BTP-capped PVPy samples displayed the self-assembly behavior in aqueous media. Notably, the self-assembly behavior was significantly influenced with the complexation of BTP end groups with the metal ions [Pt(II), Zn(II), and Eu(III)]. The sizes and morphologies of the self-organized nanoobjects were quite dependent on the coordination behavior of the tridentate ligand (viz. BTP) with the metal ions. In addition, the self-assembled nanoobjects in aqueous suspension displayed different photoluminescent behavior, depending on the types of metal ions.