Metal-free, visible light-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization of hydroxypropyl cellulose-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate)s: effect of polymer side chains on thermo-responsive behavior of hydroxypropyl cellulose

We exploited organic photo-redox-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) to synthesize a thermo-responsive polymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains were polymerized from a hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC)-based macroinitiator using metal-free O-ATRP under visible-light irradiation. This O-ATRP is mediated by 1,2,3,5-tetrakis (carbazol-9-yl)-4,6-dicyanobenzene (4CzIPN), a photoredox catalyst with a substantial excited-state reduction potential, low cost, and ease of preparation. The synthesis of a series of PMMA-grafted HPC (PMMA- g -HPC) was characterized by various analytical methods, including FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, TGA, and GPC analysis. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the polymers was determined by measuring the transmittance of the polymer solution as a function of the temperature at various pH values. Consequently, we expanded the LCST window of the HPC-based polymers and generated the opposite pH dependency of the LCST by forming PMMA- g -HPCs. Our “grafting-from” synthetic approach and thermo-responsive polymers, which are controllable in full range of physiological conditions, are promising in a variety of biological, electronics, and biosensor applications, particularly in drug delivery systems.