Aqueous photo-RAFT polymerization under ambient conditions: synthesis of protein–polymer hybrids in open air
Arman Moini Jazani, Hironobu Murata, Martin Cvek, Anna Lewandowska-Andrałojć, Roksana Bernat, Kriti Kapil, Xiaolei Hu, Ferdinando De Luca Bossa, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
Abstract
interaction with the excited state RAFT agent. This method enabled the polymerization of a range of hydrophilic monomers in reaction volumes up to 250 mL, eliminating the need to remove radical inhibitors from the monomers. In addition, photo-RAFT polymerization using SP allowed for the facile synthesis of protein-polymer hybrids in short reaction times (<1 h), low organic content (≤16%), and without rigorous deoxygenation and the use of transition metal photocatalysts. Enzymatic studies of a model protein (chymotrypsin) showed that despite a significant loss of protein activity after conjugation with RAFT chain transfer agents, the grafting polymers from proteins resulted in a 3-4-fold recovery of protein activity.