POLY-BETA-PEPTIDES FROM FUNCTIONALIZED BETA-LACTAM MONOMERS AND ANTIBACTERIAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING SAME

摘要

Disclosed is a method of making .beta.-polypeptides. The method includes polymerizing .beta.-lactam-containing monomers in the presence of a base initiator and a co-initiator which is not a metal-containing molecule to yield the product .beta.- polypeptides. Specifically disclosed are methods wherein the base initiator is potassium t-butoxide, lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (LiN(TMS)2), potassium bis(trimethyl-silyl)amide, and sodium ethoxide, and the reaction is carried out in a solvent such as chloroform, dichloromethane, dimethylsulfoxide, or tetrahydrofuran.