SYNTHESES AND RADICAL POLYMERIZATION BEHAVIOR OF METHACRYLAMIDES HAVING PEPTIDE MOIETIES - EFFECT OF THE METHYLENE CHAIN INTRODUCED BETWEENTHE METHACRYLAMIDE AND PEPTIDE MOIETIES ON THE POLYMERIZABILITY AND POLYMER STRUCTURE

Syntheses and radical polymerization behavior of methacrylamides havin g peptide moieties, N-(methacryloylglycyl)-L-leucyl-L-alanine methyl e ster (MA-GLA-M) and N-(methacryloyl-beta-alanyl)-L-leucyl-L-alanine me thyl ester (MA-beta LA-M), were examined. Radical polymerizations of M A-GLA-M and MA-beta LA-M in the presence of AIBN (1 mol %) in DMF (1.0 mol/L) afforded the corresponding polymers (poly(MA-GLA-M) and poly(M A-beta LA-M)) in nearly quantitative conversions with <(M)over bar (ns )> 68000 and 69000, respectively. An increase of the absolute value of molecular rotation on the transformation from MA-GLA-M (-126.0 degree s) and MA-beta LA-M (-132.9 degrees) to poly(MA-GLA-M) (-176.5 degrees ) and poly(MA-beta LA-M) (-242.1 degrees) could be observed. The radic al polymerizability of MA-beta LA-M in MeOH was suggested to be lower than that of MA-GLA-M. The CD patterns of poly(MA-GLA-M) and poly(MA-b eta LA-M) were similar to those of the corresponding model compounds.