Hollow organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles from dextran-block-polypeptide copolymer: Double click reaction synthesis and properties.

To increase the drug loading and prolong the drug release time, novel hollow organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles based on dextran-b-poly(L-glutamate-graft-3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane) (Dex-b-P(ALG-g-MTPMS)) were prepared. First, a polysaccharide block polypeptide diblock copolymer, dextran-block-poly(γ-allyl-L-glutamate) (Dex-b-PALG) bearing allyl side-groups, has been synthesized by the combination of ring-opening polymerization and alkyne-azide [2 + 3] Huisgen's cycloaddition. Next, the allyl side-groups residing in the poly(γ-allyl-L-glutamate) block were further functionalized with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane(MPTMS) by radical "thiol-ene" addition reactions. Finally, after a sol-gel process of the obtained copolymers, the novel organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles were prepared. The molecular structures, physicochemical, and self-assembly of these copolymers were characterized through FTIR, H NMR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cross-linked hybrid nanoparticles have a higher drug loading ability and slower release rate as compared to the uncross-linked counterparts. The MTT evaluation demonstrated that the organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles with good biocompatibility.