Thermoresponsive Glycopolymers Based on Enzymatically Synthesized Oligo-β-Mannosyl Ethyl Methacrylates and N-Isopropylacrylamide

Monica Arcos-Hernandez, Polina Naidjonoka, Samuel J. Butler, Tommy Nylander, Henrik Stålbrand, Patric Jannasch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We here present a series of thermoresponsive glycopolymers in the form of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-(2-[β-manno[oligo]syloxy] ethyl methacrylate)s. These copolymers were prepared from oligo-β-mannosyl ethyl methacrylates that were synthesized through enzymatic catalysis, and were subsequently investigated with respect to their aggregation and phase behavior in aqueous solution using a combination of 1H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The thermoresponsive glycopolymers were prepared by conventional free radical copolymerizations of different mixtures of 2-(β-manno[oligo]syloxy)ethyl methacrylates (with either one or two saccharide units) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAm). The results showed that below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of poly(NIPAm), the glycopolymers readily aggregate into nanoscale structures, partly due to the presence of the saccharide moieties. Above the LCST of poly(NIPAm), the glycopolymers rearrange into a heterogeneous mixture of fractal and disc/globular aggregates. Cryo-TEM and SAXS data demonstrated that the presence of the pendant β-mannosyl moieties in the glycopolymers induces a gradual conformational change over a wide temperature range. Even though the onset of this transition is not different from the LCST of poly(NIPAm), this gradual conformational change offers a variation of the temperature-dependent properties in comparison to poly(NIPAm), which displays a sharp coil-to-globule transition. Importantly, the compacted form of the glycopolymers show a larger colloidal stability compared to the unmodified poly(NIPAm). In addition, the thermoresponsiveness can be conveniently tuned by varying the sugar unit-length and the oligo-β-mannosyl ethyl methacrylate content.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2338-2351
JournalBiomacromolecules
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Publication Date:May 7, 2021

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Polymer Technologies
  • Biocatalysis and Enzyme Technology
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Thermoresponsive Glycopolymers Based on Enzymatically Synthesized Oligo-β-Mannosyl Ethyl Methacrylates and N-Isopropylacrylamide'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this