Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Professor Marloes PeetersORCiD
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
We have investigated the polymerization of various amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) at 0 °C. Detailed MALDI-ToF analysis of homopolymerizations of three amino acid NCAs clearly confirms that frequently occurring end-group termination and other side-reactions are absent at 0 °C. The polymerization is thus controlled and homo and copolypeptides with low polydispersities, around 1.1, were obtained for soluble polypeptides. MALDI-ToF contour plot analysis confirmed the randomness of the copolymers. The controlled character of the low temperature NCA polymerization was further verified by the successful block copolymer synthesis from polypeptide macroinitiators, which confirms the availability of the amino end-groups for chain extension. Moreover, graft copolymers were obtained by grafting of benzyl-l-glutamate NCA from lysine-containing copolymers. The formation of gels from the graft and corresponding block copolymers was investigated. While for the block copolymers interconnected polymer particles were observed by optical microscopy, the graft copolymers form an open cell structure. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Author(s): Habraken GJM, Peeters M, Dietz CHJT, Koning CE, Heise A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Polymer Chemistry
Year: 2010
Volume: 1
Issue: 4
Pages: 514-524
Print publication date: 01/06/2010
Online publication date: 27/01/2010
ISSN (print): 1759-9954
ISSN (electronic): 1759-9962
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
URL: https://doi.org/10.1039/b9py00337a
DOI: 10.1039/b9py00337a
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric