Tertiary Amine Methacrylate-Based ABC Triblock Copolymers: Synthesis, Characterization, and Self-Assembly in both Aqueous and Nonaqueous Media

Water soluble poly[2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate]-block-poly[2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate]-block-poly[2-(N-morpholino) ethyl methacrylate] triblock copolymers are synthesized via group transfer polymerization. They are molecularly soluble in acidic solution but give PDPA-core three-layer "onion-like" micelles in alkaline solution. They also give two types of micelles in hexane depending on whether a cosolvent is used: i) PMEMA-core "onion-like" reverse micelles are formed with a cosolvent, or, ii) [PDMA-b-PMEMA]-core core-shell micelles without. In addition, novel shell cross-linked micelles and reverse SCL micelles are also synthesized by cross-linking the inner PDMA shell of both PDPA-core micelles in water and PMEMA-core reverse micelles in hexane.