Preparation, fractionation, and structure of block copolymers polystyrene‐poly(carbobenzoxy‐L‐lysine) and polybutadiene‐poly(carbobenzoxy‐L‐lysine)

AB block copolymers with a polyvinyl block (polystyrene or polybutadiene) and a polypeptide block (poly(carbobenzoxy‐ L ‐lysine)) were prepared by the following method: at first the polyvinyl block was synthesized by anionic polymerization, then its living end was transformed into a primary amine function and it was used as a macromolecular initiator for the polymerization of the N ‐carboxy anhydride (NCA) of an α‐amino acid. After fractionation, studies of the copolymers by IR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction showed, that they exhibit a lamellar structure in dioxane solution and in the dry state. In this lamellar structure the polypeptide chains, present in an α‐helix conformation, are arranged in an hexagonal array and are folded.