Enzymatic self-condensation

The only report on chemoenzymatic synthesis of branched polymers is from Peelers et al. [58], Heterotelechelic PCL macroinimer was synthesized in a one-pot enzymatic procedure by using 2-hydroxyethyl a-bromoisobutyrate as a bifunctional initiator. A polymerizable endgroup was introduced by subsequent in sim enzymatic acrylation with vinyl acrylate. Synthesis of branched polymers by self-condensing ATRP of the macroinimers was successfully conducted with and without the addition of MMA as a comonomer. 

Non-enzymatic polymerization of nucleic acids from monomers Monomer self-condensation and template-directed reactions 12COS... 

Building blocks are amphiphiles, which have a delicate balance between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic group crucial to facilitate self-assembly. The peptide component serves to precisely control this balance, and the enzymatic reaction serves to alter it in favour of self-assembly. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the molecular switch may involve (1) phosphatase-catalysed removal of a (phosphate) group from the precursor to control the electrostatic balance (reaction (i) in Fig. 3) (2) hydrolysis of alkyl esters by hydrolases to change the amphiphilic balance (reaction (ii) in Fig. 3) or (3) condensation between two non-self-assembling precursors via a condensation reaction, e.g. involving protease-catalysed amide synthesis to alter the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance (reaction (iii) in Fig. 3). A number of examples of each type are summarised in Table 1. 

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