Indole-based polymer and its silver nanocomposite as advanced antibacterial agents: synthetic path, kinetics of polymerization and applications

摘要

Atom transfer radical polymerization of 1-allylindole-3-carbaldehyde (AIC) was studied by employing 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide as initiator in toluene. It led to controlled radical polymerization of AIC, with an increase of molecular weight along with the conversion of the monomer, and a relatively narrow molar mass distribution was obtained, as determined by gel permeation chromatography. The living nature of poly(1-allylindole-3-carbaldehyde) (PAIC) was confirmed by the chain extension polymerization whereas ~1H NMR analysis showed that the major population of PAIC retained the chain-end functional group. PAIC and its silver nanocomposite were found to be biologically active against some tested bacterial pathogens. Minimum inhibitory concentration tests revealed that PAIC exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumonae whereas PAIC/Ag nanocomposite showed antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis and K. pneumonae.