Thymine-and adenine-functionalized polystyrene form self-assembled structures through multiple complementary hydrogen bonds

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the self-assembly of two homopolymers of the same molecular weight, but containing complementary nucleobases. After employing nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization to synthesize poly(vinylbenzyl chloride), we converted the polymer into poly(vinylbenzyl azide) through a reaction with NaN3 and then performed click chemistry with propargyl thymine and propargyl adenine to yield the homopolymers, poly(vinylbenzyl triazolylmethyl methylthymine) (PVBT) and poly(vinylbenzyl triazolylmethyl methyladenine) (PVBA), respectively. This PVBT/PVBA blend system exhibited a single glass transition temperature over the entire range of compositions, indicative of a miscible phase arising from the formation of multiple strong complementary hydrogen bonds between the thymine and adenine groups of PVBT and PVBA, respectively; Fourier transform infrared and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed the presence of these noncovalent interactions. In addition, dynamic rheology, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy provided evidence for the formation of supramolecular network structures in these binary PVBT/PVBA blend systems. © 2014 by the authors.