We have been investigating the concept of “sweet-nanoparticles” via grafting bimodal polymer brushes on nanoparticles using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. A sugar containing monomer, 2-methacrylamido glucopyranose (MAG) monomer was grafted as a low graft density, long brush on silica nanoparticles using 4-cyano-4-[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl]pentanoic acid (CDSS) as a chain transfer agent. Two potential “controlled release” monomers 2-((2-((2-hydroxypropanoyl)oxy)propanoyl)oxy)ethyl methacrylate (HEMA-LA), 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl succinate (HEMA-SA) containing a hydrolytically sensitive ester linkage were grafted individually as a high graft density, short brush using a different RAFT agent (4-cyano-4-(phenylcarbonothioylthio)pentanoic acid, CPDB). Conceptually, the addition of the sugar containing monomers in the long brushes should enhance bacterial uptake while delivering concentrated amounts of drug via the short, controlled release monomers. The polymerization kinetics of the bimodal populations will be described and the structural characterization will be reported by <sup>1</sup>H-NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The antimicrobial activities of these polymers will then be investigating against clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Bimodal polymer grafted nanoparticles are envisioned for use as more efficient delivery vehicles for anti-bacterial applications.

Designing “sweet nanoparticles” as a novel strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria

2019 Fall National Meeting

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