POLYMERIZABLE DENDRIMERS .2. MONO-METHACRYL MODIFIED DENDRIMERS CONTAINING UP TO 16 ESTER FUNCTIONS VIA STEPWISE CONDENSATIONS OF L-ASPARTIC ACIDS

A convergent synthesis of polymerizable dendrimers consisting of one m ethacrylic function combined with an alkylene spacer and several conde nsed L-aspartic acid components is described. The highly functionalize d monomers were prepared from N-methacryloyl amino undecanoic acid (9) via condensation with free amino groups of L-aspartic acid dimethyl e ster (2), alpha,beta-bis-(L-dimethoxyaspartyl)-L-aspartic acid hydrobr omide (4) and l-alpha,beta-bis-(L-dimethoxyaspartyl))-L-aspartic acid hydrobromide (6). The number of ester groups increased from 2 to 4 and 8, up to 16, depending on the dendritic generation of the condensed a mino acids. The monomers were homopolymerized and copolymerized with s tyrene through a free radical mechanism.