Catalytic properties of diblock copolymers of N-vinylcaprolactam and N-vinylimidazole

Abstract

Thermoresponsive diblock copolymers of N-vinylcaprolactam (VCL) with N-vinylimidazole (NVI) have been synthesized for the first time through two-stage controlled reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The resulting diblock copolymers exhibit the same catalytic activity toward p-nitrophenyl propionate (NPP) hydrolysis as “protein-like” copolymers of VCL and NVI. The catalytic activity of the diblock copolymers is likely caused by their structure favorable for the manifestation of catalytic properties, namely, by micelle-like chain conformations with a relatively dense core formed by the more hydrophobic PVCL block and a periphery formed by the hydrophilic poly-N-vinylimidazole (PNVI).