One-Pot Double Modification of p(NIPAAm): A Tool for Designing Tailor-Made Multiresponsive Polymers

Abstract

A quantitative, additive-free, and one-pot reaction cascade involving the ring-opening of a thiolactone by primary amine treatment and subsequent conversion of the released thiol groups via Michael addition to an acrylate has been utilized for the double modification/functionalization of poly(<i>N</i>-isopropyl acrylamide), yielding tailor-made thermoresponsive polymers. After proving a quantitative double functionalization, different amine/acrylate combinations were employed in order to demonstrate the general applicability of the concept. Cloud points can be tuned by adjusting the amount of ring-opening amine in the reaction mixture, which enables to control the degree of modification.