Screening of optically active nickel initiators for enantioasymmetric polymerization of γ-benzyl glutamate-N-carboxyanhydride

The polymerization of a-amino acid-N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) to form block copolypeptides was explored for applications as biomedical materials. To promote structural development and biological activity with the use of synthetic, racemic amino acids, the use of optically active initiators to develop enantioasymmetric polymerizations was pursued. In particular, with the use of chiral pyridinyl exazoline ligands in nickel initiators, γ-benzyl-glutamate NCA was enantioasymmetrically polymerized.