Abstract
Unimolecular polymeric micelles are a class of single-molecule amphiphilic core-shell polymeric architectures, where the hydrophobic core is well stabilized by the hydrophilic shell, avoiding intermolecular core-core interactions. Multi-arm copolymers with a dendritic core, as well as hyperbranched and comb-like polymers, can form unimolecular micelles easily. In this review, examples of polymers able to form detectable unimolecular micelles will be presented, summarizing the analytical techniques used to characterize the unimolecular micelles and discriminate them from other supramolecular aggregates, such as multi-micelle aggregates. Unimolecular micelles are suitable for the nanoencapsulation of guest molecules. Compared to traditional supramolecular micelles, unimolecular micelles do not disassemble under dilution and are stable to environmental modifications. Recent examples of their application as drug delivery systems, endowed with increased stability and transport properties, will be discussed.
Highlights
Unimolecular polymeric micelles are a class of single-molecule micelles having a core and a shell with two different polarities and covalently linked together [1,2,3]
Unimolecular polymeric micelles are a class of single-molecule amphiphilic core-shell polymeric architectures, where the hydrophobic core is well stabilized by the hydrophilic shell, avoiding intermolecular core-core interactions
Once dispersed in aqueous solution, can form unimolecular micelles, i.e., single molecular architectures characterized by a hydrophobic core and a stabilizing hydrophilic shell
Summary
Unimolecular polymeric micelles are a class of single-molecule micelles having a core and a shell with two different polarities and covalently linked together [1,2,3]. From conventional polymeric micelles, which are thermodynamic aggregates of amphiphilic polymers above a certain concentration threshold, known as Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) [6] (Figure 1b,c), unimolecular polymeric micelles are stable upon high dilutions, and could be formed below typically expected CMC values for the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of the amphiphilic polymer [7]. Many polymeric amphiphilic species, having different topologies, can form unimolecular micelles. They are generally multi-arm polymers, where hydrophilic chains emanate from a central dendrimeric, hyperbranched or multivalent core [8]. Recent examples of thermodynamically stable unimolecular micelles used Ptohatrrmaancesuptiocsr2t0p18o,o1r0l,y20s9oluble hydrophobic drugs to targeted organs/tissues will be presented3. of 19
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