Merging non-covalent and covalent crosslinking:En route to single chain nanoparticles

Single-chain nanoparticles represent an emerging class of nanomaterials designed to mimic protein's folding paradigm.Intrachain covalent crosslinking toward the formation of single-chain nanoparticles encounters complex energy landscapes,leading to the potential occurrence of misfolding issues.While noncovalent crosslinking can circumvent this issue,the resulting single-chain nanoparticles exhibit lower structural stability compared to their covalently crosslinked counterparts.In this study,we present a novel approach for the synthesis of single-chain nanoparticles,achieved through the combination of non-covalent and covalent intramolecular crosslinking.Cyanostilbenes grafted onto the linear polymer form intrachain non-covalent stacks aided by hydrogen bonds,leading to the formation of non-covalently crosslinked single-chain nanoparticles.These nanoparticles undergo conversion to covalently crosslinked nanostructures through subsequent photo-irradiation using[2+2]photocycloaddition,a process facilitated by the supramolecular confinement effect.Consequently,the resulting single-chain nanoparticles demonstrate both intrachain folding efficiency and substantial stability,offering significant potential for advancing applications across diverse fields.