Synthesis of chitosan-mimicking cationic glycopolymers by Cu(0)-LRP for efficient capture and killing of bacteria

As glycomimetics of chitosan, cationic glycopolymers exhibit no cytotoxic effect yet similar antibacterial activity in a broader range of biologically relevant pH. Living/controlled radical polymerization has become an important route to synthesize cationic glycopolymers with precise molecular structures and defined charge densities. Herein, zerovalent copper mediated living radical polymerization (Cu(0)-LRP) of 2-aminoethyl methacrylamide hydrochloride (AEMA) using tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me 6 TREN) as a ligand was successfully performed in aqueous media at 0 °C. The facile polymerization could lead to high monomer conversion in hours for in situ block copolymerization. Chitosan-mimicking glycopolymers were synthesized via the random copolymerization of AEMA with mannose-functionalized acrylates and then immobilized onto the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles. Such magnetic glyconanoparticles have shown significant bactericidal activity to simultaneously capture and kill Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) from water. A schematic representation of the preparation of cationic magnetic glyconanoparticles by Cu(0)-LRP to efficiently capture, kill and separate E. coli from water.