From poly(vinylimidazole) to cationic glycopolymers and glyco-particles: effective antibacterial agents with enhanced biocompatibility and selectivity

Cationic glycopolymers have attracted great attention as a new type of antibacterial material. However, the synthesis of well-defined glycopolymers often requires multi-step reactions and protection/deprotection chemistry. Herein, cationic glycopolymers were prepared via one-step N-quaternization reactions from poly(vinylimidazole). Moreover, the self-assembly of block glycopolymers was utilized to construct core-functionalised or corona-functionalised glyconanoparticles in different solvents. Lectin recognition behaviour, antibacterial activity and selectivity of glycopolymers were investigated by tuning different factors such as the molecular weight, pendant groups, and cationic spacer length. Such cationic glycopolymers and glyco-particles are highly efficient and low cytotoxicity antibacterial agents and may have potential applications as antibacterial biomaterials.