Abstract
In this contribution, we report on the self-assembly in water of original amphiphilic poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)-b- poly(tert-butyl acrylate) copolymers, synthesized by copper-cat- alyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. For such purpose, (poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)) and (poly(tert-butyl acry- late)) are first prepared by cationic ring-opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization, respectively. Well- defined polymeric building blocks, x-N3-P(t-BA) and a-alkyne- P(MOx), bearing reactive chain end groups, are accurately characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight spectroscopy. Then, P(MOx)n-b-P(t-BA)m are achieved by polymer-polymer coupling and are fully character- ized by diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography, demonstrating the obtaining of pure amphiphilic copolymers. Consequently, the latter lead to the formation in water of well-defined monodisperse spherical micelles (RH 1⁄4 40-60 nm), which are studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, static light scattering, atomic force microscope, and transmission electronic microscopy.