Photoswitchable Spiropyridine Enabled Photoactuation of Polymeric Hydrogels under Physiological pH Conditions

Cong Liao; Meng-Qi Du; Chuang Li

doi:10.1007/s10118-024-3211-8

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Photoswitchable Spiropyridine Enabled Photoactuation of Polymeric Hydrogels under Physiological pH Conditions

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2024-09-23

- Photoswitchable Spiropyridine Enabled Photoactuation of Polymeric Hydrogels under Physiological pH Conditions
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 42, Issue 10, Pages: 1602-1609(2024)
- Affiliations：
  
  Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Author bio：
  
  lichuang21@ustc.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-024-3211-8
  CLC：
- Received：20 June 2024，
  
  Revised：2024-07-20，
  
  Accepted：20 July 2024，
  
  Online First：27 August 2024，
  
  Published：01 October 2024
- Accepted：
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Liao, C.; Du, M. Q.; Li, C. Photoswitchable spiropyridine enabled photoactuation of polymeric hydrogels under physiological pH conditions. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024, 42, 1602–1609

Cong Liao, Meng-Qi Du, Chuang Li. Photoswitchable Spiropyridine Enabled Photoactuation of Polymeric Hydrogels under Physiological pH Conditions[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2024, 42(10): 1602-1609.
Liao, C.; Du, M. Q.; Li, C. Photoswitchable spiropyridine enabled photoactuation of polymeric hydrogels under physiological pH conditions. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024, 42, 1602–1609 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-024-3211-8.

Cong Liao, Meng-Qi Du, Chuang Li. Photoswitchable Spiropyridine Enabled Photoactuation of Polymeric Hydrogels under Physiological pH Conditions[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2024, 42(10): 1602-1609. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-024-3211-8.

摘要

The molecular design and synthesis of a new polymerizable spiropyridine compound with a high pKa was reported. Upon covalently incorporated into polymer hydrogels

its molecular photoisomerization leads to macroscale photoactuation of the hydrogels at physiological pH. The independence of this spiropyridine hydrogel from the acidic environment makes it biotolerant and shows excellent biocompatibility.

Abstract

The incorporation of molecular switches into polymer networks has been a powerful approach for the development of functional polymer materials that display macroscopic actuation and function enabled directly by molecular changes. However

such materials sometimes require harsh conditions to perform their functions

and the design of new molecular photoswitches that can function under physiological conditions is highly needed. Here

we report the design and synthesis of a spiropyridine-based photoswitchable hydrogel that exhibits light-driven actuation at physiological pH. Owing to its high p

spiropyridine maintains its ring-open protonated form at neutral pH

and the resulting hydrogel remains in a swollen state. Upon irradiation with visible light

the ring closure of spiropyridine leads to a decrease in the charge and a reduction in the volume of the hydrogel. The contracted gel could spontaneously recover to its expanding state in the dark

and this process is highly dynamic and reversible when the light is switched on and off. Furthermore

the hydrogel shows switchable fluorescence in response to visible light. Bending deformation is observed in the hydrogel thin films upon irradiation from one side. Importantly

the independence of this spiropyridine hydrogel from the acidic environment makes i

t biotolerant and shows excellent biocompatibility. This biocompatible spiropyridine hydrogel might have important biorelated applications in the future.

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