Well-defined glycopolyrner amphiphiles for liquid and supercritical carbondioxide applications

Well-defined D-glucose-containing glycopolymers, poly(3-O-methaeryloyl-1,2: 5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-glucofuranose) (PMAIpGlc), and diblock copolymer s of PMAIpGlc with poly(1,1-dihydroperfluorooctyl methacrylate) (PFOMA) wer e synthesized by living anionic polymerization in THF at -78 degreesC with 1, 1-diphenylhexyllithium in the presence of lithium chloride. The resultin g polymers were found to possess predictable molecular weights and very nar row molecular weight distributions (MWD, M-w/M-n less than or equal to 1.16 ). Removal of the acetal protective groups from the protected glycopolymer block copolymer was carried out using 90% trifluoroacetic acid at room temp erature, yielding a hydrophilic block copolymer with pendant glucose moieti es. Both protected (lipophilic/CO2-philic) and deprotected (hydrophilic/CO2 -philic) fluorocopolymers were proved to be CO2 amphiphiles. Their solubili ty in CO2 was heavily influenced by the amphiphilic structure, such as the copolymer compositions and the polarities of sugar block. Light-scattering studies showed that, after removal of the protective groups, the deprotecte d block copolymer formed aggregate structures in liquid CO2 with an average micellar size of 27 nm. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.