Facile Synthesis of Imidazolium-Based Block Copolypeptides with Excellent Antimicrobial Activity.

Antimicrobial polypeptides are promising mimics of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with low risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Polypeptides with facile and efficient production, high antimicrobial activity, and low toxicity toward mammalian cells are highly desirable for practical applications. Herein, triblock copolypeptides with chloro groups (PPG-PCPBLG) and different main-chain lengths were synthesized via an ultrafast ring-opening polymerization (ROP) using a macroinitiator, namely poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether), and purified or nonpurified monomer (i.

Synthesis and Properties of Mono- or Diamine-Initiated Imidazolium-Based Cationic Polypeptides.

A series of cationic polypeptide imidazolium conjugates were prepared by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of γ-4-(3-chloropropoxycarbonyl)benzyl-- glutamic acid-based -carboxyanhydride (CPBLG-NCA) initiated by various mono- or diamine initiators and subsequent side-chain modification with high grafting efficiency. Rapid and controlled ROP was achieved by polymerizing CPBLG-NCA in a dichloromethane/NaHCO/HO solvent mixture with the amine initiators. The resulting polypeptides bearing imidazolium iodide pendants showed reversible upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type thermoresponsive properties in both ethanol and DI water while the polypeptides with tetrafluoroborate counter-anions showed a UCST in phosphate buffer saline (PBS).