Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

End-Group Characterization of Poly(O-benzyl-L-tyrosine) by NALDI-TOF MS

Conference ·
OSTI ID:958944
The primary amine initiated polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides of amino acids (NCAs) has been proposed to proceed by two mechanisms: normal amine mechanism and activated monomer mechanism. Recently, Hadjichristidis et al. showed that high vacuum techniques could be employed to synthesize poly(amino acid)s initiated with primary amines exclusively via the normal amine mechanism. Unfortunately, no end group characterization was reported. Herein we report the end group characterization of the amine-initiated polymerization of the NCA of O-benzyl-L-tyrosine by MALDI-TOF MS and NALDI TM-TOF MS. We show that when synthesized via high vacuum techniques the reaction proceeds exclusively by the normal amine mechanism. The activated monomer mechanism is detected in samples prepared by less rigorous techniques.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
Sponsoring Organization:
SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
958944
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English