Fabrication of Redox-Responsive Degradable Capsule Particles by a Shell-Selective Photoinduced Cross-Linking Approach from Spherical Polymer Particles.

In this study, a fabrication route towards functional capsule particles was successfully developed by means of a self-templating shell-selective cross-linking strategy that enables us to prepare shell-cross-linked hollow polymer particles directly from homogeneous spherical polymer particles. To prepare redox-responsive degradable capsule particles, a newly designed monomer bearing a photoinduced post-cross-linking group (cinnamoyl group) and a redox-environment-responsive cleavable group (disulfide group), N-cinnamoyl-N'-methyacryloylcystamine (MCC), was synthesized. Redox-responsive degradable capsule particles were successfully prepared from homogeneous spherical poly(MCC)-based particles by a self-templating shell-selective photoinduced cross-linking approach. Moreover, the cargo loading capability of the shell-cross-linked hollow particles was confirmed through a solvent exchange procedure using dyes, polymer precursors and anticancer reagents. Furthermore, redox-responsive degradability of the capsule polymer particles was also confirmed by adding a reducing agent for cleavage of the disulfide linkage. We hope that the efficient fabrication route of functional capsule particles directly from spherical polymer particles opens efficient routes for the fabrication of a wide range of capsule particles; in particular, this technique is robust, productive, and facile because neither additional sacrificial template particles nor toxic solvents are required.