Environmental responsiveness is an appealing trait of emerging polymeric materials. The chemical versatility of synthetic polymers can be harnessed to trigger physicochemical changes in response to stimuli such as temperature, light, enzymatic activity, pH and H2O2. Oxidative stress, caused by an excess of reactive oxygen species with respect to the cell’s ability to mount an effective antioxidant response, is implicated in various diseases and aging. We have synthesized polycarbonates installed with arylboronic esters and self-assembled them into nanoparticles by a rapid precipitation process. These nanoparticles are sensitive to both pH and hydrogen peroxide, and we will discuss the kinetics of destabilization and solute release in the presence of physiological H2O2 concentrations.

Oxidative responsiveness of arylboronic acid-installed polycarbonate nanoparticles

251st National Meeting (2016)

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