Synthesis and Property of an Amphiphilic Polymer Containing Nucleobases and Aza-crown Ethers

An amphiphilic polymer containing thymine and aza-crown ethers, poly-{[N,N-bis(2-ethoxy)-1, 10-diaza-18-crown-6] [5-methylene-(1-thymine)] sophthaloyl ester} (PCTSE), was synthesized. The SEM morphology observed via indicates that the amphiphilic PCTSE polymer self-organized into diameters of about 150-220 nm nanospheres in dilute aqueous solution spontaneously. The sizes of PCTSE nanospheres in dilute aqueous solution determined by DLS are mainly dispersed at 130-240 nm. The molecule recognition based on hydrogen bond between thymine of polymer and adenine substrate in PCTSE/adenine nanospheres was studied. After recognition the C-4 = 0 stretching vibration at 1670 cm(-1) of thymine of polymer shifted to 1664 cm(-1), which implied the formation of hydrogen bonds between thymine and adenine. The study on variable temperature FTIR show that the peak gradually shifted back to the position at 1670 cm(-1), which indicates that the H-bond was broken.