Effect of tertiary amino groups in the hydrophobic segment of an amphiphilic block copolymer on zinc phthalocyanine encapsulation and photodynamic activity.

Polymer micelles are promising nanocarriers for hydrophobic photosensitizers of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Poly(styrene--(2-(,-dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate))--poly(polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether acrylate) (P(St--DMAEA)--PPEGA; 1) was prepared reversible addition and fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization as a carrier for a zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) photosensitizer to be used in PDT. The DMAEA-unit composition in the P(St--DMAEA) segment was adjusted to 0.