Catechol functionalized polymers and method for preparing them

A compound capable of forming adlayers and having one of the general formulas (A) to (C) below:

• wherein A designates at least one headgroup A, B designates an optionally present linker B, C designates a polymer C, D designates an optionally present terminus D and R designates an optionally present crosslinker R,
• and wherein
• the headgroup A is a compound of the following formula
• wherein
• X is independently from each other selected from an acidic group comprising OH, SH, phosphate, phosphonate, and N+R2H, wherein the R are independently from each other selected from H or C1-C6 alkyl,
• Y is a group derived from a convenient coupling group comprising NL3, or N+(L3)2,
• Z1, Z3, and Z4 are C or N+
• Z2, Z5 and Z6 are C-L1 or N+-L, wherein
• L1 is H or an electron withdrawing group, whereby in the case of L1═NR1R2R3+, each of R1, R2, R3 may be selected from C1-C6 alkyl or C5 or C6 aryl,
• L is C1-C4-alkyl,
• L2 and L3 are independently selected from H or C1-C6 alkyl, or L2 may form together with L1 or L of Z6 a heterocycle,
• n is 0, or 1, or 2, or 3,
• m is 0 or 1
• with the proviso that at most one of Z1 to Z6 is N+ and that in case that Z1 is N+, L2 may additionally be an ester, an amide, or a heterocycle,
• the optional linker B refers to one of the general formulas I, II, III or IV below
• where m and n are independently from each other 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, A refers to the headgroup A described above, and C refers to the polymer C,
• said polymer C being either of the general formula I or II
• wherein
• X is a group which can be chemically coupled to either A or the optional linker B,
• Y is a polymer, or an alkyl chain,
• Z is a functional group suitable for coupling to a terminus D, and
• the optional terminus D is either an inert group or a reactive group, and
• the optional crosslinker R is any molecule capable of crosslinking, and
• wherein in the headgroup A, L1 bound to Z6 is NR1R2R3+, or NO2, or F or CxFy, whereby in the case of L1═NR1R2R3+, each of R1, R2, R3 may independently from each other be selected from C1-C6 alkyl or C5 or C6 aryl.