Preparation and self-assembly of amphiphilic polymer with aggregation-induced emission characteristics

An amphiphilic polymer bearing tetraphenylethene (TPE) moiety was synthesized by convenient reactions. The polymer exhibits unique aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics and can self-assemble to size-tunable particles in DMF/water mixtures. The polymer nanoparticles can be used for cell imaging, which provides a potential stable fluorescent tool to monitor the distribution of drugs and bioconjugates in living cells.