Homopolypeptides of linear and star-like architectures were prepared by polymerizing benzylic-protected L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid N-carboxyanhydrides (Glu-NCA, Asp-NCA) in DMF. The polymerization rate of the Glu-NCA is faster than that of Asp-NCA. Using a simple monoamino initiator, its hydrochloride, di-, tri-, and tetra-amino functional initiators, homopolypeptides with well-defined structures and molar masses were obtained. The molar-mass averages of the poly(ß-benzyl-L-glutamate)s (PBG) lie very close to calculated values, according to the initial [M]:[I] ratios, while those of the linear poly(ß-benzyl-L-aspartate)s (PBA) were lower than the predicted ones. PBAs had somewhat broader molar-mass distributions than PBGs.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4589594