title: Synthesis of star poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with a core of cucurbit[6]uril via ATRP and controlled thermoresponsivity.
abstract: A series of CB[6]-based macroinitiators with "n" bromo-initiation sites on the "equator" of CB[6] is developed for the synthesis of CB[6]-star poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (CB[6]-star PNIPAM) by atom transfer radical polymerization. By taking advantage of the exceptional binding affinity of the CB[6] core, CB[6]-star PNIPAM is used as a host macromolecule to construct large compound vesicles in the presence of protonated n-butylamine at pH 5.63. The deprotonated n-butylamine is detached from the CB[6] core at pH 11.1, which destructs the vesicular structures. For CB[6]-star PNIPAM, the thermoresponsive properties can be adjusted by simply changing the formation and destruction of the inclusion complexes of the CB[6] core with n-butylamine. These results suggest that the prepared CB[6]-star PNIPAM shows pH and temperature responsiveness, which has great potential for the design of a dual response smart material.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ningqiang
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Linzhe
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Haiquan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D011108:Polymers; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide
keywords: atom transfer radical polymerization; cucurbit[6]uril; molecular recognition; thermoresponsive; vesicles