Highly Efficient “Grafting onto” a Polypeptide Backbone Using Click Chemistry

Abstract

“Clicked” into place: Densely grafted poly(γ-propargyl-L-glutamate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) polypeptides have been synthesized by combining ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides with click chemistry. Various lengths of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains (750 g mol−1 to 5000 g mol−1) were attached to a rigid α-helical poly(γ-propargyl-L-glutamate); extremely high grafting efficiencies of over 96 % were achieved.