Angewandte Chemie International Edition,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
61(36)
Published: July 15, 2022
Ring-opening
copolymerizations
have
emerged
as
a
powerful
approach
towards
the
creation
of
sustainable
polymers.
Typical
H-bonding
catalysts
for
ring-opening
are
subject
to
single
catalytic
site.
Here
we
describe
H-bond-donor/Lewis-acidic-boron
organocatalyst
featuring
two
distinct
sites
in
one
molecule.
The
copolymerization
epoxides
with
anhydride
mediated
by
these
modular,
and
tunable
achieves
high
selectivity
(>99
%
polyester
selectivity)
markedly
higher
activity
compared
either
di-thiourea
analogues
or
any
combinations
them.
Calculations
experimental
studies
reveal
that
superior
performance
arises
from
tug-of-war
between
differentiated
sites:
thiourea
pulls
off
propagating
chain-end
boron
center,
simultaneously
enhancing
role
monomer
activation
also
nucleophilicity
propagation
intermediates.
Chemical Society Reviews,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
49(14), P. 4737 - 4834
Published: Jan. 1, 2020
Polypeptides
have
attracted
considerable
attention
in
recent
decades
due
to
their
inherent
biodegradability
and
tunable
cytocompatibility.
Macromolecular
design
conjunction
with
rational
monomer
composition
can
direct
architecture,
self-assembly
chemical
behavior,
ultimately
guiding
the
choice
of
appropriate
application
within
biomedical
field.
This
review
focuses
on
applications
polypeptides
alongside
synthetic
advances
ring
opening
polymerization
α-amino
acid
N-carboxyanhydrides
achieved
past
five
years.
Key
architectures
obtained
through
NCA
ROP
or
combination
other
methods
are
reviewed,
as
these
play
an
important
role
wide
range
towards
which
been
applied.
Biomolecules,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
12(5), P. 636 - 636
Published: April 25, 2022
Poly(α-L-glutamic
acid)
(PGA)
is
a
class
of
synthetic
polypeptides
composed
the
monomeric
unit
α-L-glutamic
acid.
Owing
to
their
biocompatibility,
biodegradability,
and
non-immunogenicity,
PGA-based
nanomaterials
have
been
elaborately
designed
for
drug
delivery
systems.
Relevant
studies
including
latest
research
results
on
discussed
in
this
work.
The
following
related
topics
are
summarized
as:
(1)
brief
description
strategies
PGAs;
(2)
an
elaborated
presentation
evolving
applications
PGA
areas
delivery,
rational
design,
precise
fabrication,
biological
evaluation;
(3)
profound
discussion
further
development
delivery.
In
summary,
unique
structures
superior
properties
enables
represent
as
enormous
potential
biomaterials-related
areas.
Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
146(8), P. 5678 - 5692
Published: Feb. 15, 2024
The
rapid
and
controlled
synthesis
of
high-molecular-weight
(HMW)
polysarcosine
(pSar),
a
potential
polyethylene
glycol
(PEG)
alternative,
via
the
ring-opening
polymerization
(ROP)
N-carboxyanhydride
(NCA)
is
rare
challenging.
Here,
we
report
well-controlled
ROP
sarcosine
NCA
(Sar-NCA)
that
catalyzed
by
various
carboxylic
acids,
which
accelerate
rate
up
to
50
times,
enables
robust
pSar
with
an
unprecedented
ultrahigh
molecular
weight
(UHMW)
586
kDa
(DP
∼
8200)
exceptionally
narrow
dispersity
(D̵)
below
1.05.
Mechanistic
experiments
density
functional
theory
calculations
together
elucidate
role
acid
as
bifunctional
catalyst
significantly
facilitates
proton
transfer
processes
avoids
charge
separation
suggest
ring
opening
NCA,
rather
than
decarboxylation,
rate-determining
step.
UHMW
demonstrates
improved
thermal
mechanical
properties
over
low-molecular-weight
counterparts.
This
work
provides
simple
yet
highly
efficient
approach
generates
new
fundamental
understanding
useful
not
only
for
Sar-NCA
but
also
other
NCAs.
Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
146(35), P. 24189 - 24208
Published: Aug. 22, 2024
Polypeptides
have
the
same
or
similar
backbone
structures
as
proteins
and
peptides,
rendering
them
suitable
important
biomaterials.
Amino
acid
N-carboxyanhydrides
(NCA)
ring-opening
polymerization
has
been
most
efficient
strategy
for
polypeptide
preparation,
with
continuous
advance
in
design
of
initiators,
catalysts
reaction
conditions.
This
Perspective
first
summarizes
recent
progress
NCA
synthesis
purification.
Subsequently,
we
focus
on
various
initiators
polymerization,
accelerating
enhancing
controllability
advances
approach
polymerization.
Finally,
discuss
future
research
directions
open
challenges.
Macromolecules,
Journal Year:
2019,
Volume and Issue:
52(22), P. 8521 - 8539
Published: Oct. 7, 2019
Synthetic
polypeptides,
the
analogues
of
natural
proteins,
are
important
biomaterials
that
have
found
broad
biomedical
applications.
Ring-opening
polymerization
N-carboxyanhydrides
offers
a
reliable
way
to
prepare
high-molecular-weight
polypeptides
in
large
scale
with
diverse
side-chain
functionalities.
The
past
two
decades
seen
significant
advances
polypeptide
field,
development
various
controlled
methodologies,
deeper
understanding
on
secondary
structures,
and
discovery
new
assembly
behaviors
In
this
Perspective,
we
highlight
several
key
chemical
synthesis
materials
application
synthetic
discuss
promising
future
directions
area.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
12(1)
Published: Oct. 4, 2021
Abstract
A
great
hurdle
in
the
production
of
synthetic
polypeptides
lies
access
N
-carboxyanhydrides
(NCA)
monomers,
which
requires
dry
solvents,
Schlenk
line/gloveboxe,
and
protection
side-chain
functional
groups.
Here
we
report
a
robust
method
for
preparing
unprotected
NCA
monomers
air
under
moisture.
The
employs
epoxy
compounds
as
ultra-fast
scavengers
hydrogen
chloride
to
allow
assisted
ring-closure
prevent
from
acid-catalyzed
decomposition
moist
conditions.
broad
scope
group
tolerance
are
demonstrated
by
facile
synthesis
over
30
different
α/β-amino
acid
NCAs,
including
many
otherwise
inaccessible
with
reactive
groups,
at
high
yield,
purity,
up
decagram
scales.
utility
NCAs
is
two
water-soluble
that
promising
candidates
drug
delivery
protein
modification.
Overall,
our
strategy
holds
potential
facilitating
expanding
industrial
application
polypeptides.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
12(1)
Published: Feb. 2, 2021
Abstract
The
recent
advances
in
accelerated
polymerization
of
N
-carboxyanhydrides
(NCAs)
enriched
the
toolbox
to
prepare
well-defined
polypeptide
materials.
Herein
we
report
use
crown
ether
(CE)
catalyze
NCA
initiated
by
conventional
primary
amine
initiators
solvents
with
low
polarity
and
hydrogen-bonding
ability.
cyclic
structure
CE
played
a
crucial
role
catalysis,
18-crown-6
enabling
fastest
kinetics.
fast
kinetics
outpaced
common
side
reactions,
preparation
polypeptides
using
an
α-helical
macroinitiator.
Experimental
results
as
well
simulation
methods
suggested
that
changed
binding
geometry
between
propagating
amino
chain-end,
which
promoted
molecular
interactions
lowered
activation
energy
for
ring-opening
reactions
NCAs.
This
work
not
only
provides
efficient
strategy
functionalized
C-termini,
but
also
guides
design
catalysts
polymerization.