Stimuli‐Responsive Supramolecular Polymers from Amphiphilic Phosphodiester‐Linked Azobenzene Trimers

Abstract

An amphiphilic phosphodiester-linked azobenzene trimer has been exploited in the development of stimuliresponsive,w ater-soluble supramolecular polymers.T he trimer can reversibly undergo thermal and photoisomerization between Z-and E-isomers.I ts self-assembly properties in aqueous medium have been investigated by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques,demonstrating that E-and Z-azobenzenet rimers form supramolecular nanosheets and toroidal nanostructures,respectively.Byvirtue of the E/Z photoisomerization of the azobenzene units,the two different supramolecular morphologies can be switched by photoirradiation. The findings pave aw ay towards stimuli-responsive,w ater-soluble supramolecular polymers whichh old great promise in the development of smart functional materials.

Self-Immolative and Amphiphilic Poly(benzyl ether)-Based Copolymers: Synthesis and Triggered Demicellization via Head-to-Tail Depolymerization

“…From the standpoint of molecular structure, amphiphilic copolymers that consist of discrete hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks are of great significance. The copolymers not only form micellar structures, following thermodynamic equilibrium, but also exhibit enhanced stability, adaptability, reduced toxicity, and high loading capacity. , Moreover, diverse functional groups tethering to the polymeric micelles render the micelles responsive to external stimuli such as pH, light, heat, redox reactions, CO 2 , or enzymes, which affect the dynamic nature of the assembled structures. − In particular, stimuli-responsive degradable micelles have received great attention, as they may be more practical in clinical use in the sense that degradation of these molecules enables efficient and responsive drug delivery and rapid clearance. Hence, copolymer surfactants have been typically designed to comprise labile groups in the backbone, which are then selectively cleaved when exposed to specific stimuli.…”