Controlled Degradation of Polyrotaxane Multilayers: Construction and Degradation of Polyrotaxane Multilayers (Adv. Mater. 27/2011)

Abstract

Polyrotaxanes consisting of α‐cyclodextrin and poly(ethylene glycol) are versatile building blocks for the construction and controlled degradation of multilayers. Frank Caruso and Henk Dam report on p. 3026 on the degradation of a polyrotaxane multilayer based on “unlocking” the α‐cyclodextrins by disulfide cleavage of the polyrotaxane capping groups. This disrupts the multivalent intermolecular interactions between the layers, leading to degradation.