Preparation and Gelation of Supramolecular Copolymer Based on the Host Guest Interaction between Cyclodextrin and Ferrocene

Driven by the host guest interaction between β-cyclodextrin and ferrocene in aqueous solution, a water soluble supramolecular copolymer CDCS-FcPEG was obtained based on β-cyclodextrin modified chitosan (CDCS) and ferrocene modified polyethylene glycol (FcPEG) as building blocks. The CDCS FcPEG further constructed into hydrogel with α cyclodextrin (α -CD), owing to the formation of crystalline inclusion complex of α CD and PEG. These processes were monitored by 1H NMR, UV Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Results show that CDCS FcPEG can form hydrogel with α-CD like traditional copolymers linked by covalent bonds.