• Trouillet, Vanessa
• Kramer, Joshua
• Lahann, Joerg
• Kumar, Ramya
• Nieger, Martin
• Eyster, Thomas
• Hussal, Christoph
• Baek, Amy
• Cheng, Kenneth
• Gall, Florence Bally-Le
• Bräse, Stefan

Abstract

<p>We report a new class of functionalized polylutidine polymers that are prepared by chemical vapor deposition polymerization of substituted [2](1,4)benzeno[2](2,5)pyridinophanes. To prepare sufficient amounts of monomer for CVD polymerization, a new synthesis route for ethynylpyridinophane has been developed in three steps with an overall yield of 59%. Subsequent CVD polymerization yielded well-defined films of poly(2,5-lutidinylene-co-p-xylylene) and poly(4-ethynyl-2,5-lutidinylene-co-p-xylylene). All polymers were characterized by infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, ellipsometry, contact angle studies, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, zeta-potential measurements revealed that polylutidine films have higher isoelectric points than the corresponding poly-xylylene surfaces owing to the nitrogen atoms in the polymer backbone. The availability of reactive alkyne groups on the surface of poly(4-ethynyl-2,5-lutidinylene-co-p-xylylene) coatings was confirmed by spatially controlled surface modification by means of Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Compared to the more hydrophobic poly-p-xylylyenes, the presence of the heteroatom in the polymer backbone of polylutidine polymers resulted in surfaces that supported an increased adhesion of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Vapor-based polylutidine coatings are a new class of polymers that feature increased hydrophilicity and increased cell adhesion without limiting the flexibility in selecting appropriate functional side groups.</p>

Topics

• surface
• polymer
• x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• reactive
• Nitrogen
• ellipsometry
• chemical vapor deposition
• alkyne