Cyclodextrin polymers offer the possibility to tailor macromolecular assemblies in aqueous solutions due to their ability to form inclusion complexes with apolar guests. Indeed, the specific recognition betweenβ-cyclodextrin units (β-CD) and hydrophobic derivatives such as adamantyl groups has been used to build three-dimensional structures spontaneously forming in aqueous solution. A guest polymer containing several β-cyclodextrin units (Pβ-CD) is mixed in water to a host polymer containing several lipophilic groups (hydrophobically modified dextran). The resulting multivalent interactions between the CD cavities and the lipophilic groups constitute the temporary crosslinks of a network of connected chains. The interplay between macromolecular design, structure and interactions in the nanoassemblies has been utilized to tailor different kinds of hierarchical nanostructures, such as host-guest self-assembled nanoparticles, core-shell nanoparticles constituted of a PLA core and a lbl Pβ-CD shell or core-shell PNIPAM microgels stabilized by a Pβ-CD and a dextran-adamantyl-PEG bilayer.1-4 These systems are of great interest for drug delivery applications as they combine the low toxicity of the hydrophilic compounds, the easiness of preparation, the specific affinity for apolar drugs due to the presence of β-CD units and the ability to control the drug release.3,4

Host-guest macromolecular assemblies: Interplay between macromolecular design, interactions and structure

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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