Improvements in and relating to the treatment of synthetic polypeptides

Abstract

Abstract The dyeing properties of polypeptides obtained by polymerizing one or more anhydrocarboxyaminoacids at least one of which has an ester-containing hydrophobic side chain are improved by treating them with a base to make some or all of the side cains hydrophillic. Suitable bases are aqueous ammonia, hydrazine hydrate, ethyl-, isopropyl-, or isobutyl-amine, aqueous dimethyl- or diethyl-amine, ethylene diamine, hexamethylene diamine, and sodium carbonate solution. The ester groups in the side chains are converted into carboxyl or amide groups. If the treatment is too drastic the polymer may be rendered water soluble, e.g. poly-b -methyl-D.L. aspartate treated with aqueous dimethyl amine or with sodium carbonate may yield a water-soluble product. Examples describe the treatment for various times and temperatures of copolymers in the form of films or fibres of b -methyl-D.L.-aspartate and DL-leucine with (1) aqueous ammonia, (2) aqueous methylamine, (3) sodium carbonate solution, (4)-(6) hydrazine hydrate, (7)-(12) aqueous hexamethylene diamine, (13), (14) ethylene diamine. It is stated that the gamma methyl or gamma benzyl ester of anhydrocarboxy-L or DL-glutamic acid may be used in the production of the initial polymers. Specifications 675,298 and 675,299 are referred to.

Inventors

• 👤 William Edward Hanby

Bibliographic Details