Studies on Structure and Conformation of Synthetic Polypeptides

I. Synthesis and Optical Rotatory Dispersion of Poly-γ-methyl-glutamates

Abstract

Poly-γ-methyl-L-glutamate (PMLG) and poly-γ-methyl-D-glutamate (PMDG) were synthesized by the NCA method, and fractionated. With fractionated samples, molecular conformation in several solvents was investigated by measuring the optical rotatory dispersion. It was found that poly-γ-methyl-glutamates exist in dichloroacetic acid and trifluoroacetic acid as a random coil, while in m-cresol, PMLG and PMDG are in righthanded and left-handed helical forms, respectively.