Primary amine hydrochlorides promote a well-controlled ring-opening polymerisation of Z-L-lysine-N-carboxyanhydride in DMF at 40–80 °C; the polystyrene–poly(Z-L-lysine) block copolymers synthesised exhibit a very narrow molecular weight distribution, close to a Poisson distribution.

An azide-containing, trifunctional vinyl cross-linker for silicone networks has been synthesized. The cross-linker has through Cu(I) catalyzed 1,3-cycloaddition been reacted with six different alkyne-containing chemical groups which each possess a particular functionality. The functional cross-linkers have been utilized to prepare novel polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) networks. All functional cross-linkers were successfully incorporated into the networks and were demonstrated to be well distributed within the PDMS films. This was substantiated by fluorescence microscopy of a film prepared with the 4-methyl-umbelliferone containing cross-linker. TGA showed that a ferrocene functionality increased the thermal degradation temperature of PDMS. It was furthermore shown that the incorporation of only 0.25 wt% of the push–pull dipole, ethynyl-4-nitrobenzene, increased the dielectric permittivity of PDMS by 35%. The contact angle of PDMS films was increased from 108° to 116° by the introduction of a small poly(pentafluorostyrene) chain. Finally, 17α-ethynyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,17β-diol and 1-ethynyl-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene were incorporated as examples of other functional groups.

A novel approach for the preparation of nano- and microcapsules in aqueous solutions by using thermoresponsive polymer (TRP) templates (mesoglobules) is described. The method comprised three steps: formation of mesoglobules, coating the templates by seeded radical copolymerization, followed by core dissolution and core removal upon cooling. When mesoglobule entraps biomacromolecules during the process of their formation, it makes it possible to load a controlled amount of bioactive compounds without covalent attachment. Special attention is paid to the mesoglobule dissolution upon cooling, as well as their loading efficiency. Details on the outer shell formation and the possibilities for targeting ligands incorporation and control of the shell porosity are discussed. Finally, the seeded radical copolymerization was used for covering DNA complexes with cationic copolymers bearing TRP blocks. This Review is an attempt to convince researchers of the promising perspectives for using mesoglobules as potential reservoirs, carriers, and transferring agents for biologically active substances.