Surface-Initiated Polymerization of Azidopropyl Methacrylate and Its Film Elaboration via Click Chemistry

Azidopropyl methacrylate (AzPMA), a functional monomer with a pendent azido group, polymerizes from surfaces and provides polymer brushes amenable to subsequent elaboration via click chemistry. In DMF at 50 degrees C, click reactions between poly(AzPMA) brushes and an alkynylated dye proceed with >90% conversion in a few minutes. However, in aqueous solutions, reaction with an alkyne-containing poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (mPEG, M-n = 5000) gives <10% conversion after a 12 h reaction at room temperature. Formation of copolymers with AzPMA and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (mPEGMA) enables control over the hydrophilicity and functional group density in the copolymer to increase the yield of aqueous click reactions. The copolymers show reaction efficiencies as high as 60%. These studies suggest that for aqueous applications such as bioconjugation via click chemistry control over brush hydrophilicity is vital.