On-POM Ring-Opening Polymerisation of N-Carboxyanhydrides

The ring-opening polymerisation of a-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) offers a simple and scalable route to polypeptides with predicted and narrow molecular weight distributions. Here we show how polyoxometalates (POMs)-redox-active molecular metal-oxide anions-can serve as inorganic scaffold initiators for such NCA polymerisations. This On-POM polymerisation strategy serves as an innovative platform to design hybrid materials with additive or synergistic properties stemming from the inorganic and polypeptide component parts. We have used this synthetic approach to synthesise a library of bactericidal poly(lysine)-POM hybrid derivatives that can be used to prevent biofilm formation. This versatile On-POM polymerisation method provides a flexible synthetic approach for combining inorganic scaffolds with amino acids, and the potential to tailor and improve the specificity and performance of hybrid antimicrobial materials.

Automated summary

The innovative On-POM polymerization strategy combines inorganic scaffolds with amino acids, allowing the synthesis of hybrid materials with additive or synergistic properties, such as bactericidal poly(lysine)-POM hybrids. This versatile method provides a flexible approach for tailoring and enhancing the specificity and performance of hybrid antimicrobial materials.