Elucidation of the structure of poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) nanofibers and gel networks in a helicogenic solvent.

The synthesis, characterization, self-assembly, and gel formation of poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG) in a molecular weight range from ca. 7,000-100,000 g/mol and with narrow molecular weight distribution are described. The PBLG is synthesized by the nickel-mediated ring-opening polymerization and is characterized by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with multiple-angle laser light scattering, NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Effect of pendant group structure on the hydrolytic stability of polyaspartamide polymers under physiological conditions.

We describe the synthesis of metal chelating polymers based on polyaspartamide and polyglutamide backbones as carriers for (111)In in radioimmunoconjugates. These polymers [PAsp(DTPA), PGlu(DTPA)] have a biotin end group and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) chelators attached to the primary amines of the diethylenetriamine (DET) pendant groups of biotin-poly{N'-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethyl]aspartamide} [PAsp(DET)] and of biotin-poly{N'-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethyl]glutamide} [PGlu(DET)]. Like Asn-containing proteins and polypeptides, polyaspartamides undergo uncatalyzed degradation under model physiological conditions (10 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.