Dendritic Macromonomers and N-Vinyl Caprolactam together in the Design of Smart Molecularly Imprinted Nanogels

Dendronized and molecularly imprinted smart nanogels utilizing vinyl caprolactam and type Newkome dendrons as comonomers were synthesized and characterized. Rhodamine B was employed as a template molecule. The results revealed spherical nanogels (Ngs) with low polydispersity, and nanometer particle sizes were obtained. It is highlighted that the incorporation of dendritic blocks into the polymer chains notably affects the structure–property relationship of the material, even at low dendron percentages. Additionally, the Ngs were stable under sterilization conditions, preserving their size- and temperature-responsive properties. These findings highlight the potential of dendronized and imprinted Ngs as stable nanocarriers with controlled structure and smart properties for advanced drug delivery systems and other biomedical applications.