On the hydrophilicity of polyzwitterion poly (N,N-dimethyl-N-(3-(methacrylamido)propyl)ammoniopropane sulfonate) in water, deuterated water, and aqueous salt solutions.

A series of zwitterionic model polymers with defined molar masses up to 150,000 Da and defined end groups are prepared from sulfobetaine monomer N,N-dimethyl-N-(3-(methacrylamido)propyl)ammoniopropanesulfonate (SPP). Polymers are synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) using a functional chain transfer agent labeled with a fluorescent probe. Their upper critical solution temperature-type coil-to-globule phase transition in water, deuterated water, and various salt solutions is studied by turbidimetry.

Universal polymer analysis by (1)H NMR using complementary trimethylsilyl end groups.

New degenerative chain transfer agents, namely 4-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl 4'-(trimethylsilyl)butane-dithioate, 4-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl 3'-(trimethylsilyl)propyl trithiocarbonate and their 3-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl isomers, that are two-fold labeled with complementary trimethylsilyl (TMS) markers, were designed and shown to be powerful tools for universal polymer analysis by conventional (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Their use in controlled free radical polymerization, here the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) method, resulted in polymers with low polydispersities up to high molar masses, as well as with defined complementary TMS end groups. Thus, routine (1)H NMR spectra allowed facile determination of the molar masses of polymers of various chemical structures up to at least 10(5) g/mol, and simultaneously provided crucial information about the content of end groups that is typically >95% when polymerizations are correctly performed.

Amphiphilic dual brush block copolymers as "giant surfactants" and their aqueous self-assembly.

Amphiphilic dual brush diblock as well as symmetrical triblock polymers were synthesized by the overlay of the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and the nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) techniques. While poly(ethylene glycol) brushes served as hydrophilic block, the hydrophobic block was made of polystyrene brushes. The resulting "giant surfactants" correspond structurally to the established amphiphilic diblock and triblock copolymer known as macrosurfactants.

9,10-diarylanthracenes as molecular switches: syntheses, properties, isomerisations and their reactions with singlet oxygen.

A series of 9,10-diarylanthracenes with various substituents at the ortho positions have been synthesised by palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reactions. Such compounds exhibit interesting physical properties and can be applied as molecular switches. Despite the high steric demand of the substituents, products were formed in moderate-to-good yields.