Dual side-reactions limit the utility of a key polymer therapeutic precursor

In contrast to literature reports, the activated polyacid poly(methacryloxysuccinimide) reacts with nucleophiles to give, initially, a high proportion of ring-opened residues. This copolymer then reacts intramolecularly to form a polymer with a high fraction of glutarimide residues. These side reactions occur to such an extent as to preclude the use of poly(methacryloxysuccinimide) as a precursor to polymethacrylamides.