Naked and self-clickable propargylic-decorated single-chain nanoparticle precursors via redox-initiated RAFT polymerization

Abstract

Protection of acetylenic monomers is a common practice to avoid parasitic side reactions during polymerization. Herein, we report that redox-initiated RAFT polymerization allows the direct, room temperature synthesis of a variety of single-chain nanoparticle precursors (displaying narrow molecular weight dispersity, M[overline](W)/M[overline](n) = 1.12 -1.37 up to M[overline](W) = 100 kDa) containing well-defined amounts of naked, unprotected acetylenic functional groups available for rapid and quantitative intrachain cross-linking via metal-catalyzed carbon-carbon coupling (i.e., C-C "click" chemistry). To illustrate the useful "self-clickable" character of the new unprotected acetylenic precursors, single-chain nanoparticles have been prepared for the first time in a facile and highly efficient manner by copper-catalyzed alkyne homocoupling (i.e., Glaser-Hay coupling) at room temperature under normal air atmosphere.