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We report a one-pot synthesis of well-defined A5B and A8B miktoarm star-shaped polymers where N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and various cyclic esters such as ε-caprolactone (ε-CL), lactide (LA) and glycolide (GA) were used for the synthesis. Miktopolymers were obtained by simultaneously carrying out atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of DMAEMA, ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic esters, and click reaction between the azide group in gluconamide-based (GLBr5-Az) or lactonamide-based (GLBr8-Az) ATRP initiators and 4-pentyn-1-ol. The relatively low dispersity indices of the obtained miktoarm stars (Đ = 1.2–1.6) indicate that control over the polymerization processes was sustained despite almost complete monomers conversions (83–99%). The presence of salts from phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in polymer solutions affects the phase transition, increasing cloud point temperatures (TCP) values. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) values increased with a decreasing number of average molecular weights of the hydrophobic fraction. Hydrolytic degradation studies revealed that the highest reduction of molecular weight was observed for polymers with PCL and PLGCL arm. The influence of the composition on the miktopolymers hydrophilicity was investigated via water contact angle (WCA) measurement. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) disclosed that the number of arms and their composition in the miktopolymer affects its weight loss under the influence of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the synthesis, characterization, and application of a heterofunctional initiator derived from 2-hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), having eight bromoester groups and thirteen hydroxyl groups allowing the synthesis of mikto-arm star-shaped polymers. The bromoesterification of HP-β-CD was achieved using α-bromoisobutyryl bromide as the acylation reagent, modifying the cyclodextrin (CD) molecule as confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms. The initiator's effectiveness was further demonstrated by obtaining star-comb and mikto-arm polymers via an enzymatically assisted atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method and subsequent ring-opening polymerization (ROP). The ATR polymerization quality and control depended on the type of monomer and was optimized by the way of introducing the initiator into the reaction mixture. In the case of ATRP, high conversion rates for poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate (OEOMA), with molecular weights (Mn) of 500 g/mol and 300 g/mol, were achieved. The molecular weight distribution of the obtained polymers remained in the range of 1.23–1.75. The obtained star-comb polymers were characterized by different arm lengths. Unreacted hydroxyl groups in the core of exemplary star-comb polymers were utilized in the ROP of ε-caprolactone (CL) to obtain a hydrophilic mikto-arm polymer. Cloud point temperature (TCP) values of the synthesized polymers increased with arm length, indicating the polymers' reduced hydrophobicity and enhanced solvation by water. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed the ability of the star-comb polymers to create fractals. The study elucidates advancements in the synthesis and utilization of hydrophilic sugar-based initiators for enzymatically assisted ATRP in an aqueous solution for obtaining complex star-comb polymers in a controlled manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactive oxirane groups were incorporated into the macromolecule as substituents in the side chains of loosely-grafted copolymer or in the arms of star-shaped copolymer using glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) in the controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The branched GMA copolymers with various architectures were obtained by using hydrophobic copolymers containing six and seven units of caprolactone 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl ester (CLMA) functionalized with bromoester groups, and trifunctional poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), as well as hydrophilic tri-, and six-functional acetal derivatives of D-glucopyranosides as (macro)initiators with biodegradable and biocompatible properties. The well-defined copolymers with core-shell structures and polymerization degrees of GMA in the range of 20-100 per side chain/arm at 20-70% of monomer conversion within 1-6 h and narrow molecular weight distributions ( Mw/ Mn = 1.14-1.4) were obtained. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]