Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.28, No.21, 2074-2079, 2007
Poly(azomethine) rotaxanes: Novel water soluble supramolecular polymers with high molar mass
A novel type of supramolecular poly(azomethine) was synthesized by the polycondensation of an inclusion complex of beta-cyclodextrin/poly(oxypropylene)diamine with one of beta-cyclodextrin/ terephthaldehyde and a subsequent reaction with [60]fullerene as the end capping agent. Molar mass determination by gel permeation chromatography showed that the polymers had a high molar mass (about 150 kg center dot mol(-1)) with a very narrow polydispersity. Isothermal titration calorimetric studies confirmed that each poly(oxypropylene)diamine unit could host seven cyclodextrin molecules, which was further supported by H-1 NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling studies. Additional characterization by C-13 NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy, as well as by thermogravimetric analysis, confirmed the structure of the cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxane. {graphics}