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pH-responsive AIE-active Polyethylene-based Block Copolymers

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Abstract

A novel synthetic strategy towards pH-responsive aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active tetraphenylethene (TPE)-functionalized polyethylene-based block copolymers is presented. Tris(3-(4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)phenoxy)propyl)borane was used to initiate the polyhomologation of dimethylsulfoxonium methylide to afford well-defined α-TPE-ω-OH linear polyethylenes (PE). The terminal hydroxyl groups were transformed to atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiating sites by esterification with α-bromoisobutyryl bromide, followed by polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) to provide TPE-PE-b-PtBA block copolymers. After hydrolysis of the tBu group to COOH group, the corresponding pH-responsive TPE-PE-b-PAA block copolymers were obtained. All synthesized block copolymers revealed AIE behavior either in solution or bulk. Due to the pH-responsivity of PAA chains, the aggregation state at different pH and consequently the fluorescence intensity changed. Also, the synthesized block copolymers exhibited ion-specificity fluorescence properties.

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Acknowledgments

The research reported in this publication was supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Catalysis Center, Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia

    Yu Jiang & Nikos Hadjichristidis

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  1. Yu Jiang
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  2. Nikos Hadjichristidis
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Correspondence to Nikos Hadjichristidis.

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Invited article for special issue of “Ionic Polymerization”

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Jiang, Y., Hadjichristidis, N. pH-responsive AIE-active Polyethylene-based Block Copolymers. Chin J Polym Sci 37, 930–935 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-019-2330-0

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