Novel fluorescent amphiphilic poly(allylamine) and their supramacromolecular self-assemblies in aqueous media.

Fluorescent amphiphilic polymers were produced by grafting different types and levels of hydrophobic pendant groups with intrinsic fluorescent properties (fluorenylmethoxy carbonyl (Fmoc), dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl (Dansyl), and naphthalene (Naphth) to a water soluble homopolymer backbone, polyallylamine (PAA). Non-fluorescent hydrophobic pendant group (cholesteryl moieties) were also grafted onto PAA. The polymers were characterized with elemental analysis, NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. All polymers formed self-assemblies by probe sonication in water with sizes ranging from 120 to 199 nm and TEM images showed the presence of spherical particles.