{"title":"Sequence-Dependent Effects of Folded Glycopolymer Structures on Their Biomolecular Recognition","authors":"Masanori Nagao, Daichi Yoshimatsu, Hikaru Matsumoto, Yoshiko Miura","doi":"10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00377","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00377","url":null,"abstract":"We demonstrate that folded polymer structures have distinct effects on their binding affinity to target biomolecules depending on the polymer sequence pattern. We synthesized random and triblock glycopolymers with either folded or non-folded structures in water. These glycopolymers contained mannose units as a biofunctional group, while di(phenylalanine) units were incorporated into the folded glycopolymers as hydrophobic segments to promote self-folding of the polymer chains in aqueous solution. We then evaluated the interactions of these glycopolymers with a model protein, concanavalin A (ConA), using isothermal titration calorimetry. The folded random glycopolymer exhibited a higher binding constant than its non-folded counterpart, whereas the opposite trend was observed in the triblock glycopolymer series. In both sequence patterns, further compaction of the polymer structures led to a decrease in binding affinity to ConA. These findings highlight the importance of the spatial arrangement of functional groups and polymer-chain flexibility in the design of functional polymers inspired by protein behavior.","PeriodicalId":18,"journal":{"name":"ACS Macro Letters","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ACS Macro LettersPub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00309
Jiahui Liu, Md. Walli Ullah, Marek W. Urban
{"title":"Polar Perturbations of Dipolar Interactions in Azole-Based Poly(ionic liquids)","authors":"Jiahui Liu, Md. Walli Ullah, Marek W. Urban","doi":"10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00309","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00309","url":null,"abstract":"Azole-based polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) containing imidazolium (Im) p(Im-TFSI) and triazolium (Tr) p(Tr-TFSI) ring cations naturalized by bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (TFSI) anions were synthesized to elucidate the origin of dipolar–ionic interactions and their role in conductivity and mechanical properties. Spectroscopic analysis of p(Im-TFSI) and p(Tr-TFSI) PILs revealed that the presence of polar H<sub>2</sub>O alters ionic and dipolar interactions, resulting in distinct ring-dependent hydration effects. In p(Tr-TFSI), more stable cation–anion–H<sub>2</sub>O entities result from stronger electrostatic surface potentials (∼2 kcal/mol), where distinct separation of positive and negative electrostatic potentials in Tr-TFSI cation–anion pairs facilitates the formation of localized clusters inducing dipole–dipole interactions. In the presence of H<sub>2</sub>O, ionic mobility is enhanced by solvating cation–anion pairs at the expense of weaker van der Waals interactions. The content of H<sub>2</sub>O near Tr rings is higher, but there is restricted ionic mobility due to stronger polar forces that are formed at the expense of diminished induced dipole–dipole interactions. In contrast, in Im-based polymers, H<sub>2</sub>O molecule associations with cation–anion pairs are weaker, and enhanced ionic mobility is reflected in increased conductivity values by a factor of 2. Both Im and Tr rings also facilitate distinct parallel resistor–capacitor (RC) responses with constant phase element (CPE) combinations; upon exposure to H<sub>2</sub>O, the parallel RC circuits undergo configuration by an additional in-series connected R-CPE element.","PeriodicalId":18,"journal":{"name":"ACS Macro Letters","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144335004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ACS Macro LettersPub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00291
Manish Kumar, Maxime Michelas, Cyrille Boyer
{"title":"Microwave-Assisted Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates","authors":"Manish Kumar, Maxime Michelas, Cyrille Boyer","doi":"10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00291","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00291","url":null,"abstract":"Advancing sustainability in the polymer industry requires efficient, ecofriendly recycling strategies. This study introduces a catalyst-free, microwave-assisted depolymerization method for RAFT-terminated polymethacrylates, utilizing methanol as a dual-functional cosolvent to enhance microwave absorption and provide a benign reaction medium. The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated primarily with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), including variations in molecular weight (<i>M</i><sub>n</sub> ≈ 5k, 12k, 17k g/mol) and RAFT end-groups (dithiobenzoate and trithiocarbonate). Applicability was further confirmed with poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and poly(benzyl methacrylate) (PBzMA). Depolymerization efficiency showed strong temperature dependence, with significant monomer recovery observed between 110 and 140 °C, while operating effectively at high repeat unit concentrations (up to 200 mM). This rapid, catalyst-free process, operating efficiently at elevated temperatures like 120 °C, presents a green, scalable, and economically viable recycling solution, aligning with circular economy principles to mitigate polymer waste.","PeriodicalId":18,"journal":{"name":"ACS Macro Letters","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144334973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ACS Macro LettersPub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00269
Zeyi Yan, Jingjing Xiao, Weijie Zhang, Yuxiang Zhang, Lei Liu, Bo Zhang, Anchao Feng
{"title":"Luminescent Perovskite–Polymer Gel Composites Prepared in Situ via PET-RAFT Polymerization","authors":"Zeyi Yan, Jingjing Xiao, Weijie Zhang, Yuxiang Zhang, Lei Liu, Bo Zhang, Anchao Feng","doi":"10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00269","url":null,"abstract":"Although organic–inorganic lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as new semiconductor photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic performance, their stability remains inferior to that of all-inorganic lead halide perovskite NCs. To address this limitation, we propose a one-step in situ polymerization strategy via a CH<sub>3</sub>NH<sub>3</sub>PbBr<sub>3</sub> NCs-initiated photoinduced electron/energy transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization to construct CH<sub>3</sub>NH<sub>3</sub>PbBr<sub>3</sub>–PBA/PMA gel composites, demonstrating the feasibility of both oxygenated and oxygen-free preparation processes. In this system, CH<sub>3</sub>NH<sub>3</sub>PbBr<sub>3</sub> NCs serve dual roles: catalyzing the polymerization reaction and endowing the nanocomposites with fluorescence properties. By adjusting the cross-linker content, gel composites with tunable mechanical strength were successfully fabricated. Furthermore, the composites exhibited sustained fluorescence intensity for over 15 days in air and water and enhanced ethanol resistance, with the polymer matrix significantly improving the environmental stability of CH<sub>3</sub>NH<sub>3</sub>PbBr<sub>3</sub> NCs.","PeriodicalId":18,"journal":{"name":"ACS Macro Letters","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144335189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luis L. Jessen, Kameron R. Hansen, George B. Crull, Tanner L. Grover and C. Allan Guymon*,
{"title":"","authors":"Luis L. Jessen, Kameron R. Hansen, George B. Crull, Tanner L. Grover and C. Allan Guymon*, ","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18,"journal":{"name":"ACS Macro Letters","volume":"14 6","pages":"XXX-XXX XXX-XXX"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00171","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144424025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}