Preparation of amphiphilic copolymers via base-catalyzed hydrolysis of quaternized poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]

Quaternization of PDMAEMA into qPDMAEMA allows to subsequently hydrolyze it in an alkaline environment and obtain PMAA. Degradation of qPDMAEMA can be easily monitored via 1 H NMR spectroscopy by detecting a small molecule byproduct (choline iodide).