RAFT dispersion polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) of boronic acid-substituted acrylamides

Abstract

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)-mediated dispersion polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) of boronic acid (BA)-substituted acrylamides is established. The first PISA on unprotected BA-substituted monomer yields spherical nanoparticles (NPs) that undergo room-temperature transitions to higher order morphologies upon dilution with the dispersion solvent. PISA with the BA pinacol ester-derivative yields spherical NPs, worms, and vesicles.