From seleno-mediated radical polymerization to seleno-containing branched polymers and dynamic hydrogel

Diselenocarbonate-end capped hyperbranched copolymers and diselenide containing dynamic hydrogel were synthesized on the basis of a new RDRP methodology mediated by diselenocarbonates. Copolymerization of O-(4-methoxyphenyl)Se-(4-vinylbenzyl)carbonodiselenoate with vinyl monomers such as styrene, methyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and N-isopropylacrylamide afforded hyperbranched copolymers with variable branch length and degree of branching. A dynamic diselenide containing hydrogel was obtained from a hyperbranched PNIPAM via aminolysis and spontaneous oxidation reaction. This hydrogel showed redox and temperature responses.