Surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization of 3-0-methacryloyl-l,2:5,6-di-0-isopropylidene-α-D-glucofuranoside onto gold surface

A sugar-containing polymer was grown on gold surface by surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) of methacrylate monomer, 3-O-methacryloyl-l,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-glucofur-anoside (MAIpGIc), using l,4,8,ll-tetraaza-l,4,8,ll-tetra-methylcyclotetradecane (Me₄Cyclam) as ligand, 2-bro-mopropionyl moiety attached on the gold surface as initiator, and Copper(I) bromide as catalyst, respectively, in tetrahydrofuran (THF) medium. The resultant sugar film was characterized by polarized infrared external reflectance spectroscopy (PIERS), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), ellipsometry, and contact angle goniometry. The IR peaks characteristics of poly(3-O-methacryloyl-α, β-D-glucopyranoside) (PMAGlc), broad O-H stretch at ∼3400 cm ^-1, and C=O ester stretch at ∼1748 cm^-1 observed in PIERS spectra demonstrate the formation of PMAGlc on the gold surface. The AFM and SEM images show the polymer growth away from the gold surface without visible domain boundaries, and it further confirms the formation of sugar coating. The method described in the article would be beneficial in many areas, such as pathogen detection and biosensors, considering the biological importance of carbohydrate polymers.