Synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers based on poly(sucrose methacrylate)

Abstract

The aim of this project is to synthesize linear amphiphilic block copolymers based on poly(sucrose methacrylate-b-alkyl methacrylate). The following alkyl methacrylate will be used as comonomer: methyl, ethyl, n-butyl, n-hexyl and lauryl methacrylate. The physical chemistry properties of the copolymers will be studied. Sucrose is a cheap, sustainable and an abundant raw material for polymer synthesis. In this work, the monomer methacrylate sucrose will be obtained by regioselective esterification of sucrose by enzymatic catalysis, a synthetic route already used by our research group.Amphiphilic block copolymers with controlled architecture and molar mass will be synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization, ATRP. Recently, the block copolymer poly(methyl methacrylate-b-sucrose methacrylate) has been successfully synthesized by ATRP. Linear amphiphilic block copolymers based on sucrose methacrylate and alkyl methacrylate, with controlled molar mass and architecture, have not been reported in literature yet. Thus, this project represents a new and relevant contribution in the field of sucrochemistry. The systematic variation of the alkyl group will allow establishing the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and rigidity/flexibility behavior of the copolymers.Sucrose is an interesting precursor for polymeric materials because it is a cheap, sustainable and an abundant raw material. The monomer sucrose methacrylate will be obtained by regioselective esterification of sucrose by enzymatic catalysis, a synthetic route already used in the group.Amphiphilic block copolymers with controlled architecture will be synthesized by using atom transfer radical polymerization, ATRP. Our group has recently shown, in other ongoing studies, that the synthetic route ATRP is viable to prepare sucrose methacrylate copolymers. This kind of material, amphiphilic block copolymer and not cross linked based on sucrose methacrylate and alkyl methacrylate, with controlled molar mass and architecture, has not been reported in literature yet. Thus, it is not only a new contribution in the field of sucrochemistry, but also relevant and scientificaly impactfull. The systematic variation of the alkyl group will establish the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and rigidity/flexibility behavior of the copolymers. (AU)