The synthesis and radical polymerization of N-methacryloyl-S-trityl-L-cyste
ine methyl eater [MA-C(Trt)-M] were examined. The radical polymerization wa
s carried out at 60 degrees C far 20 h in the presence of 2,2'-azoisobutyro
nitrile (AIBN) in benzene, PhCl, and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to afford
the corresponding polymer with (M) over bar(n)'s in the range of 13 200-130
000 in good yields. In the radical copolymerizations of MA-C(Trt)-M with m
ethyl methacrylate and trityl methacrylate, the specific rotations of the c
opolymers showed maximum values with MA-C(Trt)-M contents of 60 and 80 mol-
%, respectively. The polymers were treated with HBr/CH3CO2H (30 wt.-%) to a
fford the trityl group-free polymers, which were insoluble in solvents due
to the oxidative crosslinking reaction between the thiol groups.