Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the generated carbocation,...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:04

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael acceptor.
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Facile preparation, structural modulation, and bone-targeting of single-chain polypeptide nanoparticles.

Journal of materials chemistry. B·2026
Same author

Light-programmable, high-drug-loading nanomedicine based on dimeric camptothecin.

Biomaterials science·2026
Same author

Harnessing Self-Assembling Peptides on γδ T Cells to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immunity.

Polymer science & technology (Washington, D.C.)·2026
Same author

Enhanced Renal Accumulation of Polyserine Synthesized from Unprotected Serine <i>N</i>-Carboxyanhydride.

Biomacromolecules·2026
Same author

Mitofusin-Decorated Extracellular Vesicles Enable Targeted Nucleic Acid Delivery to Mitochondria.

Nano letters·2026
Same author

Nanopipette Reference Electrodes with Facile Fabrication and Enhanced Stability.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Computational Prediction of Amino Acid Preferences of Potentially Multispecific Peptide-Binding Domains Involved in Protein-Protein Interactions
06:50

Computational Prediction of Amino Acid Preferences of Potentially Multispecific Peptide-Binding Domains Involved in Protein-Protein Interactions

Published on: January 26, 2024

Proximity-Induced Cooperative Polymerization in "Hinged" Helical Polypeptides.

Chongyi Chen1, Hailin Fu2, Ryan Baumgartner

  • 1Ningbo Key Laboratory of Specialty Polymers, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering , Ningbo University , Ningbo 315211 , China.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|April 25, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a rapid polypeptide synthesis method using N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) and diamine initiators. This cooperative polymerization process, enabled by hinged helical structures, significantly accelerates chain growth.

More Related Videos

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials
08:55

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials

Published on: June 25, 2018

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives
09:22

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Published on: February 7, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Computational Prediction of Amino Acid Preferences of Potentially Multispecific Peptide-Binding Domains Involved in Protein-Protein Interactions
06:50

Computational Prediction of Amino Acid Preferences of Potentially Multispecific Peptide-Binding Domains Involved in Protein-Protein Interactions

Published on: January 26, 2024

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials
08:55

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials

Published on: June 25, 2018

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives
09:22

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Published on: February 7, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Biomimetic Materials
  • Synthetic Biology

Background:

  • Biological systems effectively use cooperative interactions for process regulation.
  • Polypeptide synthesis is crucial for various applications, including biomaterials and therapeutics.
  • Controlling polymerization kinetics is key to designing advanced polymer architectures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a novel, auto-accelerated cooperative polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs).
  • To investigate the use of simple linear aliphatic diamines as initiators for polypeptide synthesis.
  • To elucidate the mechanism of proximity-induced cooperative polymerization driven by helical structures.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) as monomers for polymerization.
  • Employed linear aliphatic diamines (e.g., 1,6-diaminohexane) as polymerization initiators.
  • Analyzed the kinetics and mechanism of the diamine-initiated polymerization, focusing on the formation of "hinged" polypeptides.

Main Results:

  • Achieved rapid, auto-accelerated polypeptide synthesis via cooperative polymerization.
  • Demonstrated that diamine initiation leads to "hinged" polypeptides with head-to-head connected helical chains.
  • Observed a dramatic acceleration of polymerization rate (over 600x) compared to monoamine initiation, attributed to cooperative interactions between macrodipoles of hinged helical structures.

Conclusions:

  • The study presents a new method for efficient polypeptide synthesis using cooperative polymerization.
  • "Hinged" polypeptides formed via diamine initiation exhibit enhanced polymerization kinetics.
  • Single helical structures act as effective motifs for enabling cooperativity in synthetic chemistry, offering a pathway for advanced material design.