Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.25, No.13, 1221-1224, 2004
Living polymerization of alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCA) upon decreasing the reaction temperature
The n-hexylamine-initiated polymerization of N-epsilon-trifluoroacetyl-L-lysine N-carboxyanhydride in N,N-dimethyformamide was studied by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis. A polypeptide with a broad molecular weight distribution was obtained and side reactions were clearly identified for polymerization at room temperature. The possibility of living polymerization at 0degrees C demonstrated.