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Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Polypeptide Nanoparticles Obtained from Emulsion Polymerization of Amino Acid N-Carboxyanhydrides
Jaco Jacobs1, Dražen Pavlović2, Hannah Prydderch2
1School of Chemical Sciences , Dublin City University , Glasnevin, Dublin 9 , Ireland.
Abstract:
Polypeptide nanoparticles were obtained by the miniemulsion polymerization of S-(o-nitrobenzyl)-l-cysteine (NBC) N-carboxyanhydride (NCA). Through process optimization, reaction conditions were identified that allowed the polymerization of the water sensitive NCA to yield nanoparticles of about 220 nm size. Subsequent UV-irradiation of the nanoparticle emulsions caused the in situ removal of the nitrobenzyl group and particle cross-linking through disulfide bond formation accompanied by the shrinkage of the particles.
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