Controlling the pH-response of branched copolymer nanoprecipitates synthesised by transfer-dominated branching radical telomerisation (TBRT) through telogen chemistry and spatial distribution of tertiary amine functionality

Amine functionality offers the modification of polymer properties to enable stimuli-responsive behaviour, and this feature has been utilised in numerous studies of self-assembly and disassembly. The ability to place amines as pendant groups along linear polymer backbones within distinct blocks, at chain ends or as statistical mixtures with other functionalities, has allowed fine tuning of responses to pH. Here we study and compare the placement of amines within the backbones or as pendant groups within polyesters synthesised by the newly reported transfer-dominated branching radical telomerisation (TBRT). Branched polymers with backbone amines are clearly shown to undergo dissolution that is determined by pH and telogen selection; they undergo nanoprecipitation only when hydrophilic telogens are present within their structure and provide nanoprecipitates that are highly sensitive to the addition of acid. In contrast, TBRT polymers with pendant amines form uniform nanoparticles with remarkable stability to pH changes, under identical nanoprecipitation conditions. The behaviour differences shown here open new avenues of synthetic flexibility for pH-responsive polymer design using TBRT.