Synthesis of Novel Folic Acid-Functionalized Biocompatible Block Copolymers by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization for Gene Delivery and Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Drugs

Two synthetic routes to folic acid (FA)-functionalized diblock copolymers based on 2-(methacryloyloxy)- ethyl phosphorylcholine [MPC] and either 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate [DMA] or 2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate [DPA] were explored. The most successful route involved atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of MPC followed by the tertiary amine methacrylate using a 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (Fmoc)-protected ATRP initiator. Deprotection of the Fmoc groups produced terminal primary amine groups, which were conjugated with FA to produce two series of novel FA-functionalized biocompatible block copolymers. Nonfunctionalized MPC-DMA diblock copolymers have been previou…