Metal-free multicomponent polymerization toward cationic polyamidines

Cationic polymers, also known as polycations, are considered to be the most potential non-viral gene carriers due to their unique advantages such as the ability to bind the negative charge of nucleic acid molecules. Multicomponent polymerization (MCP) is a one-step, tandem strategy to construct complex structures based on multicomponent reactions. Herein, we developed a metal-free MCP method based on three monomers of p-dinitrovinylbenzene (p-DNVB), 1,1-dimethylethyl N,N-dibromocarbamate (BocNBr(2)), and bis-secondary-amines with a ratio of 1:2:1, to access a library of Boc-substituted polyamidines with well-defined structures and suitable molecular weights (M-w ranging from 4400 Da to 11,0 00 Da) in high yields (up to 85%) under mild conditions. Upon the removal of Boc groups, a series of water-soluble polymers with cationic property were prepared and their gene binding capability was further evaluated. (C) 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Automated summary

In this study, a metal-free multicomponent polymerization method was developed to synthesize water-soluble polymers with cationic properties, which are considered as promising non-viral gene carriers.