Dual stimuli-responsive poly(succinyloxyethylmethacrylate-b-N-isopropylacrylamide) block copolymers as nanocarriers and respective application in doxorubicin delivery

ABSTRACTStimuli-responsive nanostructures were developed as anticancer drug delivery carriers. To this end, poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate)-b-(N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly(HEMA-b-NIPAAm)) diblock copolymers were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with two ratios remarked with (1) and (2). Based on gel permeation chromatography, the molecular weights of synthesized diblock copolymers were 17802 (1) and 13090 (2) g mol−1. The pH- and thermoresponsive poly(succinyloxyethylmethacrylate-b-N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly)SEMA-b-NIPAAm)) diblock copolymers were obtained by reacting poly(HEMA-b-NIPAAm) with excess succinic anhydride in pyridine under mild conditions. Developed micelles with poly(SEMA-b-NIPAAm) (1) and poly(SEMA-b-NIPAAm) (2) diblock copolymers around pH of 3–4 at 25°C demonstrated the critical micelles concentrations (CMCs) of 0.026 and 0.019 g L−1, respectively. The average sizes of poly)SEMA-b-NIPAAm) micelles using dynamic light scattering (DLS)...