Enzyme mimetic-catalyzed ATRP and its application in block copolymer synthesis combined with enzymatic ring-opening polymerization

Abstract

Deuterohemin-β-Ala-His-Thr-Val-Glu-Lys (DhHP-6) as a peroxidase mimic shows good catalytic capability towards the polymerization of functional vinyl monomers in an aqueous buffer solution of pH 3.0–11.0 or a mixed solvent of DMF–H₂O under moderate conditions of activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP). More importantly, by combining the above ATRP process with enzymatic ring-opening polymerization (eROP), three types of block copolymers with a biodegradable segment, that is, PCL–PGMA, PCL–PMAA, and PCL–PHEMA, were synthesized, demonstrating that the combination of enzymatic ATRP and eROP using renewable biocatalysts is a versatile approach for the construction of potentially biocompatible block copolymers.