ATRP grafting of poly(N,N‐dimethylamino‐2‐ethyl methacrylate) onto the fatty‐acid‐modified agarose backbone via the “grafting‐from” technique

Abstract

In this research, we prepared hydrophobically modified agarose‐g‐poly(N,N‐dimethylamino‐2‐ethyl methacrylate) via the “grafting from” ATRP technique. First, agarose was hydrophobically modified by acylation of some of its OH groups with palmitoyl chloride. Then, the macroinitiator for ATRP was prepared by acylation of some remaining hydroxyl groups of agarose palmitate with 2‐bromopropionyl bromide. Finally, graft copolymerization of N,N‐dimethylamino‐2‐ethyl methacrylate from agarose macroinitiator was carried out homogenously in dioxane and in the presence of CuCl/PMDETA as a catalyst. All products were characterized by taking FT‐IR and H‐NMR spectra. Kinetic study showed that the ATRP polymerization was first order up to nearly 75% conversion. Investigation of the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the graft copolymers in different pH revealed that the solubility and aggregation behavior is completely pH and temperature dependent.