Functionalized, biocompatible coating for superparamagnetic nanoparticles by controlled polymerization of a thioglycosidic monomer.

It is demonstrated that water-soluble, glucosylated poly(pentafluorostyrene) derivatives revealed favorable coating material properties for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. To prepare the coating material in high reproducibility and purity as well as in sufficient amounts, a new route of synthesis is established. The preparation and characterization of the glucosylated, tetrafluorostyryl monomer, by thiol-para-fluorine "click" reaction, and its polymerization, via nitroxide-mediated radical process, is presented in detail. In addition, the coating material and the resulting particle properties are investigated by means of XPS, DLS, TGA, TEM, and cryo-TEM as well as flow cytometry. The glycopolymer acts as an appropriate stabilizing agent for the superparamagnetic nanoparticles by the formation of an approximately 10 nm thick shell, as shown by the XPS analysis. Furthermore, the application of FITC-labeled glycopolymer yielded fluorescent, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, which can be used for monitoring cell-carbohydrate interactions, because these particles show no cytotoxicity toward 3T3 fibroblasts.