Enantioselective Enzymatic Modification of Chiral Block Copolymers

• Published in: Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics
• Main Authors: Yeniad, Bahar, Naik, Hemantkumar, Koning, Cor E., Heise, Andreas
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2012
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/macp.201200633; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fmacp.201200633; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/macp.201200633

Abstract Block copolymers comprising blocks with pendant hydroxy groups of opposite chirality are synthesized by RAFT polymerization of (R) ‐ and (S) ‐1‐(4‐vinylphenyl)ethanol (1R and 1S) as monomers. Initially, poly(styrene) macro‐RAFT agents are chain‐extended with both enantiomeric monomers to obtain poly(styrene‐ b ‐1R) and poly(styrene‐ b ‐1S) with controlled molecular weight and low polydispersities. Enantioselective esterification with vinyl acetate by Candida Antarctica Lipase B (CALB) is only possible on the 1R‐containing block copolymer. This concept is extended to a series of chiral block copolymers poly(1R‐ b ‐1S) which, apart from their optical rotation, all behave like very similar homopolymers. By enzymatic enantioselective esterification on the 1R‐block, block copolymer structures were obtained.