Preparation and properties of optically active poly(N-methacryloyl l-leucine methyl ester)

Reported in this paper is the effect of varying initiator, catalyst, ligand, solvent, and temperature on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of N-methacryloyl l-leucine methyl ester (MALM). Optimized polymerization conditions involve tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me6TREN) as ligand, CuBr as catalyst, methyl 2-bromopropionate as initiator, and toluene or benzene as solvent. Under these conditions the PMALM samples produced possess tunable molecular weight and low polydispersity. Also reported are results of PMALM characterization by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry, and polarimetry.