Polypeptide macromonomers

It is well known that primary amines are efficient initiators for the polymerization of Leuch s anhydrides (oxazolidinediones) and that initiation proceeds by the addition of the amine to the monomer. This pathway has been utilized recently to synthesize polypeptide macromonomers bearing a terminal p-vinylbenzyl group 88). Copolymerization of these macromonomers with a vinylic or acrylic comonomer yields graft copolymers with polypeptide grafts. Alternately, the monomer adduct (IV) was copolymerized with styrene, and the primary amine functions of this polymer were used to initiate the polymerization of an oxazolidinedione whereby polypeptide grafts are formed 89). Such graft copolymers may be of interest for biomedical applications. 

Fig. 19 (a) Synthesis of polypeptide macromonomers for grafting through and (b) grafting from for the synthesis of polymer brushes with polypeptide side chains [125]... 

Macromonomers of poly(crown ether)s (543) and polypeptides (544) have also been prepared by this method. 

The catalytic polyaddition reaction of divinylbenzene and disecondary amines in the presence of a lithium amide yields polyamines with a p-vinylbenzyl (VB) substituent as in equation (21) using iV,iV -diethylethylenediamine. Macromonomers of poly(crown ethers) were also prepared by this method. Macromonomers of polypeptides were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of y-benzyl-L-glutamate-N-carboxyanhydride initiated by N-methyl-N-(4-vinylphenethyl) ethylenediamine, and of DL-phenylalanine-N-carboxyanhydride initiated by m, p-vinylbenzyl-... 

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