Modular synthesis and facile network formation of catechol functionalized triblock copolymers

Fahed Albreiki; Tobias Göckler; Samanvaya Srivastava

doi:10.1039/d4cc04503c

Modular synthesis and facile network formation of catechol functionalized triblock copolymers

Chem Commun (Camb). 2024 Nov 18. doi: 10.1039/d4cc04503c. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Fahed Albreiki¹, Tobias Göckler^{1

2}, Samanvaya Srivastava^{1

3

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. [email protected].
² Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344 Eggenstein- Leopoldshafen, Germany.
³ California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
⁴ BioPACIFIC MIP, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
⁵ Institute for Carbon Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

PMID: 39555682
DOI: 10.1039/d4cc04503c

Abstract

We report the synthesis of catechol-functionalized symmetric triblock polymers comprising densely functionalized catechol endblocks using anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP) and thiol-ene click chemistry. The simplicity and modularity of our approach rely on a two-step synthesis that eliminates the need for catechol protection and enables the functionalization of precisely synthesized precursor polymers with catechol-containing thiols. Partial oxidation of the catechols on the triblock polymers to quinones enabled rapid gelation (within seconds) while retaining strong adhesive attributes.