Title:
Synthesis of well-defined polypeptide-based materials via the ring-opening polymerization of α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides
Languages of Item:
English
Abstract:
The synthesis of well-defined polypeptide-based materials through the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCA) was reviewed. Normal Amine Mechanism (NAM) is generally applied for the polymerization of NCAs initiated by nonionic initiators having at least one mobile hydrogen atom (base-H), such as primary and secondary amines, alcohols, and water. Water is a common impurity, which can influence the ROP of NCAs. The temperature of the system is also critical for the hydrolysis of NCAs, since at low temperatures it proceeds slower. Activated monomer mechanism (AMM) was proposed to explain the ROP of DL-phenylalanine NCA, initiated by a tertiary amine. Bamford's group found that Sar-NCA was almost unreactive when diisopropylamine was used as initiator, while the polymerization of γethyl-L-glutamate NCA is even faster under these conditions. The new developments in the ROP of NCAs hold tremendous promise that well-defined polypeptides with controllable molecular weight, sequence, composition, and molecular weight distribution can be synthesized.
Authors:
Nikos Hadjichristidis
Hermis Iatrou
Marinos Pitsikalis
Georgios Sakellariou
Journal:
Chemical Reviews
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Keywords:
Activated monomer mechanism; L-glutamate; Low temperatures; Mobile hydrogen; N-carboxyanhydrides; Nonionic; Primary and secondary amine; Tertiary amine, Amination; Amino acids; Molecular weight distribution; Organic acids; Polypeptides; Synthesis (chemical), Ring opening polymerization, amino acid; biomaterial; peptide, article; chemistry; macromolecule; materials testing; surface property; synthesis, Amino Acids; Biocompatible Materials; Macromolecular Substances; Materials Testing; Peptides; Surface Properties
Main subject category:
Science
Official URL (Publisher):
