Porphyrin-cored amphiphilic star block copolymer photocatalysts: Hydrophobic-layer effects on photooxidation.

[Display omitted] • Porphyrin-cored amphiphilic star block copolymers were well synthesized via ATRP. • Hydrophobic polymer-type and block fraction were varied for hydrophobicity control. • More intensified hydrophobicity led to more efficient photooxidation of furfural. Pd-contained porphyrin-cored (P(Pd)) amphiphilic star block copolymers with a hydrophobic interior, including either poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(dodecyl methacrylate) (PDMA), and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) hydrophilic outer layer were synthesized by Ru-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The acquired starpolymer photocatalysts were examined for photooxidation of furfural. The starpolymers with the PDMA hydrophobic interior led to higher efficiency in the photooxidation of furfural than the starpolymers without hydrophobic interior and with the PMMA interior. In addition, the grater hydrophobic PDMA fraction exhibited a higher photooxidation efficiency. Those experimentally demonstrated the importance of the hydrophobic interior toward efficient photooxidation. We believe that this study provides a fundamental idea in developing amphiphilic star block copolymer photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]