TRANSITION METAL INITIATORS FOR CONTROLLED POLY (BETA-PEPTIDE) SYNTHESIS FROM BETA-LACTAM MONOMERS

摘要

A series of initiators based on transition metal complexes for the polymerization of optically active beta-lactams into poly-beta-peptides and block copolymers have been developed. These initiators are unique in being able to eliminate chain transfer and chain termination side reactions from these polymerizations resulting in narrow molecular weight distributions, molecular weight control, and the ability to prepare copolymers of defined block sequence and composition.