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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Amphiphilic block copolymers bearing ortho ester side-chains: pH-dependent hydrolysis and self-assembly in water
Rupei Tang1, Weihang Ji, Chun Wang
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Abstract:
A new type of pH-responsive block copolymer nanoparticle has been synthesized and characterized. The amphiphilic diblock copolymer, PEG-b-PMYM, contains acid-labile ortho ester side-chains in the hydrophobic block and can self-assemble into micelle-like nanoparticles in water at neutral pH. Hydrolysis of the ortho ester side-chains follows a distinct exocyclic mechanism and shows pH-dependent kinetics, which triggers changes in nanoparticle size and morphology. The nanoparticles have been found to be non-toxic to cells in vitro. The ability to tune the size and morphology of biocompatible block copolymer nanoparticles by controlling the pH-sensitive side-chain hydrolysis represents a unique approach that may be exploited to improve the efficacy of nanometer-scale drug delivery.
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