Water-soluble polyglycerol-dendronized poly(norbornene)s with functional side-chains

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Organic Synthesis

Background:

• Poly(norbornene)s offer a versatile backbone for polymer functionalization.
• Dendronization allows for precise control over polymer architecture and properties.
• Amine and hydroxyl groups are crucial for further modification and applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize high molecular weight polyglycerol-dendronized poly(norbornene)s (PGD-PNBs).
• To incorporate peripheral hydroxyl groups and backbone amine functionalities.
• To demonstrate the utility of amine groups for attaching hydrophobic fluorophores.

Main Methods:

• Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene monomers.
• Iterative dihydroxylation and allylation for dendron growth.
• Functionalization of amine groups with hydrophobic fluorophores (coumarin, pyrene).

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of fourth-generation PGD-PNBs with a degree of polymerization of ca. 500.
• PGD-PNBs possess 16 peripheral hydroxyl groups and amine groups on each backbone repeat unit.
• Incorporation of fluorophores resulted in highly water-soluble and fluorescent PGD-PNB structures.

Conclusions:

• PGD-PNBs are a novel class of functional polymers with controlled architecture.
• The developed synthetic route allows for tunable peripheral and backbone functionalization.
• These PGD-PNBs exhibit desirable water solubility and fluorescence for potential applications.