Self-Assembled Copper Polypyridyl Supramolecular Metallopolymer Achieving Enhanced Anticancer Efficacy

Abstract

Metallopolymers, a combination of organic polymers and metal center, contain metal atoms in repeating monomers can change its dynamic and thermodynamic properties through the directionality of coordination bonds and chemical tailoring of ligands. In the past decade, self-assembled functional supramolecular metallopolymers have aroused a surge of research interest, and have demonstrated application potential in cancer therapy. In this chapter, we have summarized the progress in the rational design of biological application of different metallopolymers. Especially, a copper polypyridyl complex was found be able to self-assemble into a supramolecular metallopolymer driven by the intermolecular interactions, which could enhance the uptake in cancer cells through endocytosis, thus effectively inhibit tumor growth in vivo without damage to the major organs. This study may provide a good example to use self-assembled metallopolymer to achieve enhanced anticancer efficacy.

Hydrodynamic Characteristics and Conformational Parameters of Ferrocene-Terpyridine-Based Polymers

“…Metallopolymers can contain a variety of metal centers, from main group metals such as Sn and Pb, to transition metals such as Fe, Ir, and Pt, through to lanthanides such as Eu. The metals can be located either in the polymer main chain [16,37,38] or in the side chains of a comb-like polymer. The side chains, in turn, can be comprised of metallocene-containing units [4,[7][8][9], or contain a complex formed from chelating units [3,39].…”