Preparation, characterization, and dilute solution properties of four-branched cage-shaped poly(ethylene oxide)

野田 昂志*; 土肥 侑也*; 太田 豊*; 高田 慎一; 高野 敦志*; 松下 裕秀*

Journal of Polymer Science, 58(15), p.2098 - 2107, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20200286

A four-branched cage-shaped poly(ethylene oxide) (4C-PEO) was prepared by a coupling reaction at very dilute condition between two kinds of end-functional four-armed star-shaped PEOs having amino and -hydroxysuccinimide groups on their four ends, followed by purification using -cyclodextrin (-CD). The raw coupling reaction product shows multiple peaks including various high molecular weight multimeric products in size-exclusion chromatography measurements, while the product after -CD purification shows a single peak eluted slightly earlier than the precursor star PEOs. These results suggest that the targeted 4C-PEO polymer was successfully isolated through the -CD purification. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements of the final product in dilute solution were conducted, and its chain conformation was evaluated from the scattering profile in comparison with linear and star polymers.