Synthesis of acrylate-based multibranched polymer via photo-induced electron/energy transfer-reversible additon-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization

Within the scope of the text, studies on the synthesis and modification of polymeric materials with two different architectures: highly branched and cross-linked, with a chromatic orthogonal synthetic approach were carried out. For this purpose, polymeric structures were synthesized under visible light (530 nm) irradiation, while modification processes will be performed at a different wavelength of light (320 nm). In the first step, where the synthesis and modification of hyperbranched polymers were carried out, hyperbranched polymers with o-methyl benzaldehyde functional groups were synthesized in a controlled manner by combination of Self-Condensing Vinyl Polymerization (SCVP) and Photo-Induced Electron/Energy Transfer-Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (PET-RAFT) methods under visible light irradiation. As the obtained polymers contained o-methyl benzaldehyde functional groups, they were capable to be modified with desired groups through Diels-Alder click reactions with the effect of light (320 nm). The modification processes were illustrated with four model studies. First, phenyl-maleimide was used to demonstrate modification with small organic structures then for the production of amphiphilic polymers that have many application areas, a hydrophilic polymer chain (PEG) was be attached to the hyperbranched structure. Subsequently, polycaprolactone (PCL) was used as modification agent to prove applicability of the system for the hydrophobic structures. Finally, Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) protein was be conjugated to prove the applicability of the method to biological systems.