Synthesis of Amylose-Polyether Inclusion Supramolecular Polymers by Vine-twining Polymerization Using Maltoheptaose-functionalized Poly(tetrahydrofuran) as a Primer-guest Conjugate

Abstract

We achieved to synthesize a novel inclusion supramolecular polymer composed of continuum of amylose-poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF) inclusion complexes by phosphorylase-catalyzed enzymatic polymerization using a maltoheptaose-PTHF conjugate according vine-twining polymerization manner. The 1H NMR and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated the presence of the inclusion complex structure in the product. The GPC peak of the amylose segment, which was dissociated by heating the vine-twining polymerization product, shifted to the lower molecular weight region, compared with that of the product, supporting the structure of the inclusion supramolecular polymer. The product by the G-1-P/G7-PTHF feed ratio = 100 was the supramolecular polymer composed of continuum of the amylose-PTHF inclusion complexes, whereas both inclusion complexes and amylose double helixes were present in the product by the G-1-P/G7-PTHF feed ratio over 200.