RAFT copolymerization of alginate-derived macromonomers - synthesis of a well-defined poly(HEMAm)-graft-(1 4)-α-L-guluronan copolymer capable of ionotropic gelation

• Main Authors: Rinaudo, Marguerite, Ghadban, Ali, Reynaud, Eric, Albertin, Luca
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science & Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Chemistry::Organic chemistry::Polymers
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/99936; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/19534
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The aqueous RAFT copolymerization of methacrylamide- and methacrylate-functionalized (1→4)-α-L-guluronan and (1→4)-β-D-mannuronan macromonomers with N-(2-hydroxyethyl)methacrylamide afforded synthetic-g-polysaccharide copolymers with a predetermined and well-defined molar mass (“grafting through” approach). One such polymer featuring guluronan graft chains of Xn = 21 was able to undergo ionotropic gelation in the presence of Ca2+ ions and to form a soft hydrogel in spite of the fairly low molar mass (Mn = 77 000 Da). The high yield synthesis of a new methacrylate-functionalized (1→4)-α-L-guluronan is also reported.