Structural Aspects of Complexation Between CDs and Poly(Alkylene Oxides)

Abstract

The mixing of di- and threeblock copoiymers of ethylene and propylene oxides (proxanols, pluronics, polaxomers) with CDs results in the formation of crystalline complexes — molecular necklaces. The regularities of complexation between CDs and these copoiymers are studied. The stoichiometry of complexes based on diblock copoiymers corresponds to one CD molecule per two monomer units of poly(alkylene oxide) as for corresponding homopolymers. At the same time the composition of complexes based on threeblock copoiymers depends on the concentration of the solution and varies from completely filled to half filled molecular necklaces. Thus the complexation reaction result in the production of new types of block copolymes of diverse architecture.