Synthesis of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers Containing Chiral Polythiophene Chains and Their Micelle Formation and Chiroptical Properties

Amphiphilic block copolymers consisting of hydrophobic regioregular head-to-tail (HT) chiral ((S)-poly-1a-b-poly-3) or achiral (poly-1b-b-poly-3) polythiophene chains and a hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) chain were synthesized. (S)-Poly-1a-b-poly-3 with a chiral polythiophene block formed a micelle in water that exhibited a characteristic induced circular dichroism (ICD) in the π⁻π* transition region due to the formation of supramolecular π-stacked chiral aggregates of the chiral polythiophene blocks in the core. These aggregates were stable, showing no precipitation for more than 5 days. Micelles consisting of chiral (S)-poly-1a-b-poly-3 and achiral poly-1b-b-poly-3 showed negative nonlinear effects on supramolecular chiral aggregate formation in the core. Chiral polythiophene aggregates formed in (S)-poly-1a-b-poly-3 micelle cores were stabilized by the crosslinking of poly(acrylic acid) blocks with diamines in the shell. The ICD intensity of the (S)-poly-1a-b-poly-3 micelle after shell crosslinking showed almost no change with temperature, while that before shell crosslinking decreased with increasing temperature.