Synthesis of a novel photochemical and thermoresponsive diblock biomaterial with end-functionalized zinc porphyrin

Nannan Qiu; Xinyuan Pan; Ruizhang Hu; Zhenzhen Hui

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2023.1268458

Synthesis of a novel photochemical and thermoresponsive diblock biomaterial with end-functionalized zinc porphyrin

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2023 Dec 1:11:1268458. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1268458. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Nannan Qiu^{1

2}, Xinyuan Pan¹, Ruizhang Hu^{1

2}, Zhenzhen Hui^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Anhui Science and Technology University, Bengbu, Anhui, China.
² Anhui Province Quartz Sand Purification and Photovoltaic Glass Engineering Research Center, Fengyang, Anhui, China.

Abstract

Porphyrin compound-based photochemical molecules and biomaterials have been synthesized for photosensitivity and bioimaging experiments. However, most porphyrin photosensitizers have limited application in biological environments owing to severe aggregation in aqueous solutions. In the present study, we prepared amphipathic and photosensitive copolymers using zinc porphyrin via consecutive atom transfer-free radical polymerizations (ATRPs) comprising photoresponsive and thermosensitive chain segments. Furthermore, we evaluated the photocatalytic activity of the copolymer for methylene blue (MB) in water. Methods: First, we synthesized a photoresponsive ain segment of poly (6-[4-(4-methoxyphenylazo)phenoxy]hexyl methacrylate) (ZnPor-PAzo); then, ZnPor-PAzo was used as a macroinitiator and was polymerized with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) via ATRPs to obtain a novel photochemical and thermoresponsive diblock biomaterial with end-functionalized zinc porphyrin [(ZnPor-PAzo)-PNIPAMs]. Results: The polydispersity index (M _w/M _n) of (ZnPor-PAzo)-PNIPAMs was 1.19-1.32. Furthermore, its photoresponsive and thermosensitive characteristics were comprehensively studied. Discussion: The end-functionalized diblock copolymer (ZnPor-PAzo)-PNIPAM exhibits obvious fluorescence and efficient photocatalytic activity for aqueous MB under visible light.

Keywords: atom transfer radical polymerization; cis/trans isomerization; diblock copolymer; fluorescence; photocatalytic activity; thermosensitive property; zinc porphyrin.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by the research and development and industrialization of green environmental porphyrin-based photocatalysis agent (881226), the Talent Introduction Project of Anhui Science and Technology University (200110), the Major Foundation of Education Department of Anhui Province (2022AH051655), the Anhui Young Scholars Project (830523), and the Foundation of Anhui College Students’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship (grant number 20211087903).