Synthesis of Amphiphilic Diblock Poly-amido-saccharides and Self-Assembly of Polymeric Nanostructures

We report the synthesis of diblock poly-amido-saccharides (PASs) by sequential addition of variably protected glucose and galactose monomers via living anionic ring-opening polymerization. Diblock polymers with varied polymer length, hydrophobic to hydrophilic ratio, and stereochemistry of hydrophilic component were synthesized, characterized by NMR, IR, and GPC. These amphiphilic polymers selfassemble in water to form nanoparticles as determined by DLS, SEM, and cryo-TEM. Amphiphilic polymers with glucose-PAS hydrophobic and galactose-PAS hydrophilic blocks and degree of polymerization of 100 (100-(Et)Glc(1)-(OH)Gal(3)diblock PAS) form spherical nanostructures and are non-cytotoxic.