Types Of Side Chains Research Articles

Balancing intermolecular interactions by variation of pendent alkyl chains for high performance organic photovoltaics

Understanding the role of appended alkyl side chains is a key issue to enhance photovoltaic performance because the side chains control molecular solubility, film crystallinity, and morphology. For this purpose, we synthesized three new planar aromatic backbone molecules (Eh-Hex, Eh-Eh and Oct-Eh), where the appended alkyl side chains on the aromatic core unit were either 2-ethylhexyl (Eh) or n-octyl (Oct) and those on the side ends were either Eh or hexyl (Hex). Characterization of the molecular films revealed that all of the molecules were crystalline with mainly edge-on orientation, while the Eh-Hex and Eh-Eh molecules having Eh groups on the core units manifested higher crystallinity than the molecule (Oct-Eh) having Oct groups on the core units. Of the small molecule:PC71BM blend films, only the Eh-Hex case exhibited both good intermolecular packing and uniformly distributed nanoscopic networks of molecular channels, maintaining extensive interfacial contacts between the Eh-Hex and PC71BM domains. On the other hand, the Eh-Eh molecules showed poor miscibility with PC71BM, and the Oct-Eh molecules displayed excessive miscibility with PC71BM. These morphological differences resulted in significant differences in the photovoltaic performance of the devices using small molecule:PC71BM blend films. Inverted-type photovoltaic devices fabricated using the Eh-Hex:PC71BM blend had the highest power conversion efficiency among the three molecule-based devices. Overall, this work demonstrated that both the type of alkyl side chain and its position are crucial factors controlling the balance of interactions between small molecules and PC71BM molecules, which can significantly alter blend morphology and photovoltaic performance.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Substrate Transport on Alpha-Helix Peptide for Multistep Catalysis

Multistep electrocatalysis has the potential to fully utilize the energy stored in high molecular weight fuels, enabling biofuel cells with high energy density.[1] In multistep cascades, however, the mass transport of intermediates between catalyst sites becomes a potential limitation. Substrate channeling, in which intermediate transport is achieved without diffusion into the bulk, has attracted significant attention recently and is utilized in numerous biological contexts. Electrostatic interactions between a charged intermediate and an oppositely charged pathway represents on such channeling mechanism.[2] Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation enables the study of electrostatic interactions that may be inaccessible to experiment, and provides a framework for molecular design of such systems. Here, we describe MD simulations of charged intermediate transport in the presence of alpha-helix peptides that act as catalyst site linkers.[3] In this project, we generated a set of polypeptides comprised of charged residues chains (e.g. Arg, Lys) and simulate the interaction between these peptides and oppositely charged intermediate molecules in explicit water. Figure 1a shows an example on how an oxalate molecule can be adsorbed on a peptide, featuring corresponding coulomb energy between the two species. Strong energy fluctuations usually indicate surface-bound transport. By tuning the side chain type and interspatial distance, as shown in Figure 1b, energy fluctuation can be controlled. Based on the results from different peptides coupled with various intermediate molecules, we are able to define the range of conditions over which electrostatic interactions are beneficial. More importantly, surface diffusion diffusion is quantified, giving detailed understanding of the range of transport rates available. Acknowledgement We gratefully acknowledge support from Army Research Office MURI (#W911NF1410263) via The University of Utah.

Mixed side-chain geometries for aggregation control of poly(fluorene-alt-bithiophene) and their effects on photophysics and charge transport

In organic optoelectronics, order of conjugated molecules is required for good charge transport, but strong aggregation behavior may generate grain boundaries and trapping, opposing those benefits. Side chains on a polymer’s backbone are major reason for and also tool to modify its morphological characteristics. In this report, we show on the example poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-co-bithiophene) (F8T2) that by a combination of two types of side-chains on the backbone of equal number of carbons, one promoting crystallization, another hindering it, organization of the main chains can be controlled, without changing its major properties. We compare the traditional F8T2 derivative with octyl substituent with two modified species, one containing solely 2-ethylhexyl side-chains and another with both types randomly distributed. Thermal characteristics, photophysics and morphology are compared and effects on film formation and charge transport in bulk-heterojunction blends demonstrated on photovoltaic devices utilizing F8T2s as donor and the fullerene derivative ICBA as acceptor material.

Polyurea microcapsules from isocyanatoethyl methacrylate copolymers

ABSTRACTThe synthesis of two types of isocyanate side chain containing copolymers, poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐isocyanatoethyl methacrylate) (P(MMA‐co‐IEM)) and poly(benzyl methacrylate‐co‐isocyanatoethyl methacrylate) (P(BnMA‐co‐IEM)), which were synthesized by Cu(0)‐mediated radical polymerization, is reported. Polymerization proceeded to high conversion giving polymers of relatively narrow molar mass distributions. The incorporation of the bulky aromatic groups in the latter copolymer rendered it sufficiently stable toward hydrolysis and enabled the isolation of the product and its characterization by 1H and 13C NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy and SEC. Both P(MMA‐co‐IEM) and P(BnMA‐co‐IEM) were functionalized with dibutylamine, octylamine, and (R)‐(+)‐α‐methylbenzyl‐amine, which further proved the successful incorporation of the isocyanate groups. Furthermore, P(BnMA‐co‐IEM) was used for the fabrication of liquid core microcapsules via oil‐in‐water interfacial polymerization with diethylenetriamine as crosslinker. The particles obtained were in the size range of 10–90 µm in diameter independent of the composition of copolymer. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 2698–2705

A DUF-246 family glycosyltransferase-like gene affects male fertility and the biosynthesis of pectic arabinogalactans

BackgroundPectins are a group of structurally complex plant cell wall polysaccharides whose biosynthesis and function remain poorly understood. The pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) has two types of arabinogalactan side chains, type-I and type-II arabinogalactans. To date few enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of pectin have been described. Here we report the identification of a highly conserved putative glycosyltransferase encoding gene, Pectic ArabinoGalactan synthesis-Related (PAGR), affecting the biosynthesis of RG-I arabinogalactans and critical for pollen tube growth.ResultsT-DNA insertions in PAGR were identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and were found to segregate at a 1:1 ratio of heterozygotes to wild type. We were unable to isolate homozygous pagr mutants as pagr mutant alleles were not transmitted via pollen. In vitro pollen germination assays revealed reduced rates of pollen tube formation in pollen from pagr heterozygotes. To characterize a loss-of-function phenotype for PAGR, the Nicotiana benthamiana orthologs, NbPAGR-A and B, were transiently silenced using Virus Induced Gene Silencing. NbPAGR-silenced plants exhibited reduced internode and petiole expansion. Cell wall materials from NbPAGR-silenced plants had reduced galactose content compared to the control. Immunological and linkage analyses support that RG-I has reduced type-I arabinogalactan content and reduced branching of the RG-I backbone in NbPAGR-silenced plants. Arabidopsis lines overexpressing PAGR exhibit pleiotropic developmental phenotypes and the loss of apical dominance as well as an increase in RG-I type-II arabinogalactan content.ConclusionsTogether, results support a function for PAGR in the biosynthesis of RG-I arabinogalactans and illustrate the essential roles of these polysaccharides in vegetative and reproductive plant growth.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-016-0780-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Single-point mutation-mediated local amphipathic adjustment dramatically enhances antibacterial activity of a fungal defensin.

The emergence and rapid spread of multiresistant bacteria has lead to an urgent need for novel antimicrobials. Based on single-point substitutions, we generated a series of mutants of micasin, a dermatophytic defensin, with enhanced activities against multiple clinical isolates of Staphylococcus species, including 4 antibiotic-resistant strains. We first mapped the functional surface of micasin by alanine-scanning mutational analysis of its highly exposed residues, through which we found that substitution of site 8 (acidic Glu) dramatically enhanced bacterial killing of this peptide. Structural analysis indicates that this single point mutation could result in a functional local amphipathic architecture. Four different types of side chains (hydrophobic, cationic polar, neutral polar, and acidic polar) were introduced at site 8 to clarify the role of this local architecture in micasin function. The results show that all mutants displayed increased antibacterial activity with the exception of the acidic replacement. These mutants with enhanced activity exhibited low hemolysis and cytotoxicity and showed high serum stability, indicating their therapeutic potential. Our work represents the first example of structural fine-tuning to largely improve the antibacterial potency of a dermatophytic defensin.-Wu, J., Gao, B., Zhu, S. Single-point mutation-mediated local amphipathic adjustment dramatically enhances antibacterial activity of a fungal defensin.

Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene–Pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine Small-Molecule Donors for Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

We report on the synthesis, material properties, and bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell characteristics of a set of π-conjugated small-molecule (SM) donors composed of benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT) and pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine (PP) units, examining the perspectives of alkyl-substituted PP acceptor motifs in SM designs. In these systems (SM1–4), both the type of side chains derived from the PP motifs and the presence of ring substituents on BDT critically impact (i) molecular packing, and (ii) thin-film morphologies and charge transport in BHJ solar cells. With the appropriate side-chain pattern, the ring-substituted analogue SM4 stands out, achieving efficiencies of ca. 6.5% with PC71BM, and fine-scale morphologies comparable to those obtained with some of the best-performing polymer donors in BHJ solar cells. 1H–1H DQ-SQ NMR analyses are used to examine the distinct self-assembly pattern of SM4, expected to factor into the development of the BHJ morphology.

Polar solvent effects on tartaric acid binding by aromatic oligoamide foldamer capsules.

Aromatic oligoamide sequences able to fold into single helical capsules were functionalized with two types of side chains to make them soluble in various solvents such as chloroform, methanol or water and their propensity to recognize tartaric acid was evaluated. The binding affinities to tartaric acid and binding thermodynamics in different media were investigated by variable temperature (1)H NMR and ITC experiments, the two methods giving consistent results. We show that tartaric acid binding mainly rests on enthalpically favourable polar interactions that were found to be sufficiently strong to be effective in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent (DMSO) and even in pure methanol. Binding in water was very weak. The stronger binding interactions were found to be more susceptible to the effect of competitive solvents and compensated by unfavourable entropic effects. Thus, the best host in a less polar medium eventually was found to be the worst host in protic solvents. An interesting case of entropically driven binding was evidenced in methanol.

How to adjust dexamethasone mobility in silicone matrices: A quantitative treatment

Silicone-based drug delivery systems offer a great potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety of a large variety of medical treatments, e.g. allowing for local long-term delivery of active agents to the inner ear. Different formulation parameters can be varied to adjust desired drug release kinetics. However, often only qualitative information is available on their effects, and product optimization is cumbersome. The aim of this study was to provide a quantitative analysis, allowing also for theoretical predictions of the impact of the device design on system performance. Dexamethasone was incorporated into thin films based on different types of silicones (e.g. varying in the type of side chains and contents of amorphous silica), optionally containing different types and amounts of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (5% or 10%). Furthermore, the initial drug content was altered (from 10% to 50%). In most cases, an analytical solution of Fick’s second law could be used to describe the resulting drug release kinetics from the films and to determine the respective “apparent” diffusion coefficient of the drug (which varied from 2×10−14 to 2×10−12cm2/s, depending on the system’s composition). Thus, the impact of the investigated formulation parameters on drug mobility in the polymeric matrices could be quantitatively described. Importantly, the knowledge of the “apparent” drug diffusivity can be used to theoretically predict the resulting release kinetics from dosage forms of arbitrary size and shape. For instance, dexamethasone release was theoretically predicted from cylindrical extrudates based on a selection of different silicone types. Interestingly, these predictions could be confirmed by independent experiments. Hence, this type of quantitative analysis can replace time-consuming and cost-intensive series of trial-and-error experiments during product optimization. This is particularly helpful, if long-term drug release (e.g., during several weeks, months or years) is targeted.

Influence of Solvent-Like Sidechains on the Adsorption of Light Hydrocarbons in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

A variety of strategies have been developed to adsorb and separate light hydrocarbons in metal-organic frameworks. Here, we present a new approach in which the pores of a framework are lined with four different C3 sidechains that feature various degrees of branching and saturation. These pendant groups, which essentially mimic a low-density solvent with restricted degrees of freedom, offer tunable control of dispersive host-guest interactions. The performance of a series of frameworks of the type Zn2 (fu-bdc)2 (dabco) (fu-bdc(2-) =functionalized 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; dabco=1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane), which feature a pillared layer structure, were investigated for the adsorption and separation of methane, ethane, ethylene, and acetylene. The four frameworks exhibit low methane uptake, whereas C2 hydrocarbon uptake is substantially higher as a result of the enhanced interaction of these molecules with the ligand sidechains. Most significantly, the adsorption quantities and selectivity were found to depend strongly upon the type of sidechains attached to the framework scaffold.

Optimizing Light‐Harvesting Polymers via Side Chain Engineering

A series of conjugated polymers using naphtho[1,2‐c:5,6‐c]bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole and benzodithiophene alternating backbone is synthesized to investigate the effect of side chain substitution on conjugated donor–acceptor polymer on electronic, morphological, and photovoltaic properties. It is found that light absorption and frontier energy levels of the resultant polymers are strongly affected by the side chains. The thin film morphology, crystal structure, crystallinity, and orientation also depend on the side chains; the side chain type affects more in the π–π stacking direction, while the side chain density plays a significant role in the lamellar packing direction. The thickness of the active layer also influences the performance of the solar cells with some materials showing enhanced performance with thicker active layers. The best solar cell device in this study has power conversion efficiencies of 8.14%, among the highest in materials of similar structure.

Searching for low percolation thresholds within amphiphilic polymer membranes: The effect of side chain branching.

Percolation thresholds for solvent diffusion within hydrated model polymeric membranes are derived from dissipative particle dynamics in combination with Monte Carlo (MC) tracer diffusion calculations. The polymer backbones are composed of hydrophobic A beads to which at regular intervals Y-shaped side chains are attached. Each side chain is composed of eight A beads and contains two identical branches that are each terminated with a pendant hydrophilic C bead. Four types of side chains are considered for which the two branches (each represented as [C], [AC], [AAC], or [AAAC]) are splitting off from the 8th, 6th, 4th, or 2nd A bead, respectively. Water diffusion through the phase separated water containing pore networks is deduced from MC tracer diffusion calculations. The percolation threshold for the architectures containing the [C] and [AC] branches is at a water volume fraction of ∼0.07 and 0.08, respectively. These are much lower than those derived earlier for linear architectures of various side chain length and side chain distributions. Control of side chain architecture is thus a very interesting design parameter to decrease the percolation threshold for solvent and proton transports within flexible amphiphilic polymer membranes.

Morphology and diffusion within model membranes: Application of bond counting method to architectures with bimodal side chain length distributions

The consequence of a bimodal side chain length distribution on micro-phase separation and solvent diffusion within amphiphilic grafted polymeric model membranes is studied by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD). Fifteen polymeric architectures are modeled that are of the same ion exchange capacity and molecular weight. The backbones consist of hydrophobic A fragments. At regular intervals along the backbones two side chains are simultaneously branching off. One of the side chains contains p and the other q consecutively connected A fragments, and each of them is end-linked with a hydrophilic C fragment. Water is represented by W beads. The water volume fraction is 0.16. Diffusion through the hydrophilic pore networks is derived from Monte Carlo tracer diffusion calculations through selected snapshots and from the W bead motions. The distance between the water containing pores and water diffusion decreases with difference in side chain length (q−p). The results are explained by introducing a parameter, based on bond counting, which measures the average number of bonds between A fragments toward the nearest C fragment within each architecture. This parameter also explains previous results on diffusion and pore size obtained for ∼50 grafted architectures with various types of side chains (linear or Y-shaped), side chain lengths, side chain distributions, and ion exchange capacity. A consistent picture evolves that might guide pore network design strategies for obtaining low percolation thresholds for solvent and proton diffusion.

Isolation, ECD assisted structural analyses, biosynthetic discussions, and biological activities of epi-cochlioquinones D and its derivatives

epi-Cochlioquinone D (1) and its 12-α-hydroxyderivative (2) were isolated from Helminthosporium velutinum TS28 based on antifungal screening against Cochliobolus miyabeanus. Relative configurations were established by the NMR analyses except for C5 locating far from the other asymmetric centers. ECD discussions involving spectral comparison with those of other related molecules as well as those based on theoretical calculations disclosed not only the C5 configuration but also the chirality for C12–C22 polycyclic moiety. H. velutinum TS28 also afforded precochlioquinol D (3), just the side chain component, which led us to discuss their biosynthetic pathway. Although 1 and 2 inhibit C. miyabeanus effectively, the C-14 epimeric cochlioquinones scarcely inhibited in spite of very close structures. Present study further revealed that C. miyabeanus tightly recognizes both the polycyclic moiety and the side chain. In contrast, both cochlioquinones and epi-cochlioquinones exhibited potent cytotoxicity against human colon adenocarcinoma (COLO 201) cells regardless of the C14 configuration as well as type of side chains.

Poly(arylene ether ketone) carrying hyperquaternized pendants: Preparation, stability and conductivity

A new strategy to synthesize comb-shaped poly(arylene ether ketone) ionomers with hyperquaternized pendants was detailed in this work. Poly(arylene ether ketone) with electron-rich phenyl rings on the side chain was copolymerized. These electron-rich phenyl rings which could be chloromethylated and serve as precursors to cationic sites, are introduced during monomer synthesis. After chloromethylation and quaternization on the side chain, these resulting anion exchange membranes exhibit high conductivities and good dimensional stability, which benefit from the side chain type structure. The highest chloride conductivity of 0.047 S cm−1 was observed in PAEK-QTPM-30 (IEC = 1.58 mmol g−1) and swelling ratio is 31.7% at 80 °C. The structural properties of the synthesized poly(arylene ether ketone)s were investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The anion exchange membranes showed excellent thermal stability up to 200 °C under nitrogen and good chemical stability for high conductivity after treating in alkaline condition up to 30 days. These membranes were studied by IEC, water uptake, dimensional stability. The nano-phase separation from ionic aggregation was confirmed by SAXS. This work implies a viable strategy to improve the performance of anion exchange membranes.

22-Oxocholestanes as plant growth promoters

The spirostanic steroidal side-chain of diosgenin and hecogenin was modified to produce 22-oxocholestane derivatives. This type of side-chain was obtained in good yields through a straightforward four-step pathway. These compounds show potent brassinosteroid-like growth promoting activity evaluated via the rice lamina joint inclination bioassay. This is the first report of steroidal skeletons bearing the 22-oxocholestane side-chain and preserving the basic structure (A–D rings) from their corresponding parent compounds acting as plant growth promoters.

Pronounced effects of cross-linker geometries on the orientation coupling between dangling mesogens and network backbones in side-chain type liquid crystal elastomers

We demonstrate that the cross-linker geometries such as molecular length and functionality have a pronounced effect on the orientation coupling between the dangling mesogens and network backbones in the side-chain type liquid crystal elastomers which are made by the copolymerization of mono-functional mesogens and multi-functional non-mesogenic cross-linkers. For the nematic elastomers (NEs) with planar alignment, the cooling causes an increase in nematic order of the dangling mesogens independently of the cross-linker geometries. Correspondingly, a finite macroscopic elongation along the director is induced for the NEs with the bi-functional (F = 2) and sufficiently long cross-linkers with N ≥ 6 (N; the number of methylene units between the functional groups), but no macroscopic deformation is driven for the NEs with the short cross-linkers with N ≤ 4 independently of F. When the corresponding NEs with polydomain alignment are stretched by externally imposed strain, the dangling mesogens are reoriented along the stretching direction independently of N in the case of F = 2 whereas no reorientation of the mesogens is driven in the cases of the short tri- and tetra-functional cross-linkers (N = 3 and F = 3, 4). Such striking and complicated effects of the cross-linker geometries on the orientation-coupling between the dangling mesogens and network backbones is expected from the heterogeneous network structure composed of the dense and sparse regions of cross-links which are characteristic of the polymer networks formed by the copolymerization of mono- and multi-functional monomers.

The effect of polysaccharide types on adsorption properties of LbL assembled multilayer films.

Three types of biocompatible films were fabricated via electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) adsorption of oppositely charged cationic polyurethane and anionic polysaccharides with different primary structures, including sodium hyaluronate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium alginate. The adsorption behaviors of films were investigated by using the cationic dye methylene blue (MB) as a model drug at various pH values and salt concentrations. The relationship between the type of polysaccharide and the adsorption behavior of LbL films was comparatively studied. It was found that the adsorption capacity increased with an increase of the initial concentration of MB in the concentration range of the experiment to all of the films, and the pH of environment ranged from 3.0 to 9.0. The Langmuir equation fit perfectly to the experiment data. In addition, a pseudo second-order adsorption model can well describe the adsorption behaviors of MB for three films. The results showed that the type of side chains and the charge density of the polysaccharides played key roles in the adsorption properties of the PU/polysaccharide multilayer films.

Coulomb repulsion in short polypeptides.

Coulomb repulsion between like-charged side chains is presently viewed as a major force that impacts the biological activity of intrinsically disordered polypeptides (IDPs) by determining their spatial dimensions. We investigated short synthetic models of IDPs, purely composed of ionizable amino acid residues and therefore expected to display an extreme structural and dynamic response to pH variation. Two synergistic, custom-made, time-resolved fluorescence methods were applied in tandem to study the structure and dynamics of the acidic and basic hexapeptides Asp6, Glu6, Arg6, Lys6, and His6 between pH 1 and 12. (i) End-to-end distances were obtained from the short-distance Förster resonance energy transfer (sdFRET) from N-terminal 5-fluoro-l-tryptophan (FTrp) to C-terminal Dbo. (ii) End-to-end collision rates were obtained for the same peptides from the collision-induced fluorescence quenching (CIFQ) of Dbo by FTrp. Unexpectedly, the very high increase of charge density at elevated pH had no dynamical or conformational consequence in the anionic chains, neither in the absence nor in the presence of salt, in conflict with the common view and in partial conflict with accompanying molecular dynamics simulations. In contrast, the cationic peptides responded to ionization but with surprising patterns that mirrored the rich individual characteristics of each side chain type. The contrasting results had to be interpreted, by considering salt screening experiments, N-terminal acetylation, and simulations, in terms of an interplay of local dielectric constant and peptide-length dependent side chain charge-charge repulsion, side chain functional group solvation, N-terminal and side chain charge-charge repulsion, and side chain-side chain as well as side chain-backbone interactions. The common picture that emerged is that Coulomb repulsion between water-solvated side chains is efficiently quenched in short peptides as long as side chains are not in direct contact with each other or the main chain.

PH-sensitive hydrogels based on (meth)acrylates and itaconic acid

Novel hydrogels based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), itaconic acid (IA) and different poly (alkylene glycol) (meth)acrylates (PAGM) (P(HEMA/IA/PAGM)) were synthesized. We investigated the influence of different PAGM components, with acrylic or methacrylic acid residues in the main chain and ethylene glycol (EG) and/or propylene glycol (PG) units in pendant chains of varying length, on the nature and inherent properties of P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) copolymeric hydrogels. Swelling studies revealed pH sensitive behavior of P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) samples. Hydrogel structure and morphology were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which confirmed their chemical structure and differences in pore size. The shear modulus values for P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) hydrogels were close to that of PHEMA, but slightly lower than the value for P(HEMA/IA). Cephalexin (CEX) drug release profiles from P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) samples showed a marked dependence on the PAGM component. The presence of IA also influenced the release rate of CEX, leading to a faster release when IA was combined with the more hydrophilic PAGM component. An in vitro assay of P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) cytotoxicity showed good cell viability. The results obtained indicate that P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) hydrogel properties were significantly dependent on the PAGM component, meaning that the type of side chains can be used to tune the characteristics of such biomaterials. These properties make P(HEMA/IA/PAGM) copolymeric hydrogels applicable in biomedical and biotechnological fields and controlled drug delivery.