Poly(α-hydroxy alkanoic acid)s derived from α-amino acids
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
Extraction of Non-Protein Amino Acids from Cyanobacteria for Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Published on: December 9, 2022
Naomi Cohen-Arazi1, Abraham J Domb, Joshua Katzhendler
1Faculty of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Institute of Drug Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Abstract:
Biodegradable polyesters derived from hydrophobic amino acids are synthesized by various techniques, resulting in a wide range of molecular weights. The polymers are prepared via a) direct condensation with p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) as catalyst, b) ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of O-carboxyanhydrides, and c) ROP of cyclic dilactones. The polymers obtained by the first method reach a molecular weight ranging from 1000 to 3000 Da, whereas those formed by the second and third method yield extended molecular weights of 15000-30000 Da. The purity of the monomers as well as their steric bulkiness are key factors affecting the polymerizability of cyclic monomers by ROP. Other parameters such as spatial ring alignment and proximity organization may also play a role.
Related Concept Videos
03:42Amino acids
01:15Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Overview
01:21Basicity of Aliphatic Amines
To measure the basicity of amines, two conventions are generally used. The first defines Kb as the basicity constant for the deprotonation reaction of water by the amine, as presented in Figure 1. Conventionally, lower Kb indicates higher...
01:07Amines: Introduction
01:28Amides to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis
Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis:
Hydrolysis of amides under acidic conditions yields carboxylic acids. Since the reaction occurs slowly, hydrolysis requires the conditions of heat.
The mechanism begins with the protonation of the carbonyl oxygen by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the amide carbonyl carbon more...
01:28Structures of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Carboxylic acid derivatives contain an acyl group attached to a heteroatom such as chlorine, oxygen, or nitrogen. The carbonyl carbon and oxygen are both sp2-hybridized with an unhybridized p orbital.
The three sp2 orbitals of the carbonyl carbon form three σ bonds, one each with the carbonyl oxygen, the α carbon, and the heteroatom, whereas the other two sp2 orbitals of the carbonyl oxygen are occupied by the lone pairs. Further, the unhybridized p...