Hybrid linear-dendritic block copolymers

T., Hult, A., and Malkoch, M. (2013) Multifunctional Poly(ethylene glycol) synthesis, characterization, and potential applications of dendritic-linear-dendritic block copolymer hybrids. Macromolecules, 46 (10), 3726-3736. 

Gitsov 1, Frechet JMJ. Solution and solid-state properties of hybrid linear-dendritic block copolymers. Macromolecules 1993 26 6536-6546. 

For polymer chemists it is interesting to know how well-known linear polymers can be linked with dendritic architectures and what the supramolecular consequences of this approach might be. Combination of dendrimers with linear polymers in hybrid linear-dendritic block copolymers has been employed to achieve particular self-assembly effects. Block copolymers with a linear polyethylene oxide block and dendritic polybenzylether block form large micellar structures in solution that depend on the size (i.e., the generation) of the dendritic block [10]. Amphiphilic block copolymers have been prepared by the combination of a linear, apolar polystyrene chain with a polar, hydrophilic poly(propylene imine) dendrimer [11] as well as PEO with Boc-substituted poly-a, -L-lysine dendrimers, respectively [12]. Such block copolymers form large spherical and cylindrical micelles in solution and have been described as superamphi-philes and hydra-amphiphiles , respectively. 

Walter, M.V., Lundberg, P., Hult, D., Hult, A., Malkoch, M. A one component methodology for the fabrication of honeycomb films from biocompatible amphiphilic block copolymer hybrids a linear-dendritic-linear twist. Polym. Chem 4, 2680-2690 (2013)... 

Some of the hybrid linear-dendritic block copolymers have been subjected to a thorough characterization in solution [48,55] and in the solid state... 

It is also possible to introduce polymerizable groups at the focal point of dendritic macromolecules and a number of authors have demonstrated the synthesis of novel hybrid dendritic-linear block copolymers by this methodology [69-73]. Initial experiments in the use of the dendritic macromonomers involved the preparation of a series of polyether dendrimers, such as the third generation derivative, 37, which contains a single styrene at its focal point [74]. Copolymerization of 37 with styrene then affords a hybrid block copolymer, 38, in which... 

The solution properties of hybrid-linear dendritic polyether copolymers are investigated by SEC with coupled viscometric detection from the same authors [12]. The results obtained show that the block copolymers are able to form monomolecular and multimole-cular micelles depending on the dendrimer generation and the concentration in methanol-water (good solvent for the linear blocks). 

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