Reactions of polypeptide esters in the solid state. II : a few cases of prevailing polycondensation : remarks concerning the reaction mechanism

When tetraglycine methyl ester is heated at 185° C in the solid state or at 100° C dissolved in methanol, polymers containing small amounts of sarcosyl-units are formed. An induction period occurs only under the first mentioned conditions. Also polymers obtained by heating triglycine methyl ester at 100°–100° C partly consisted of sarcosyl-units. Some of the phenomena described in this and the preceding part1) are believed to be due to rigidity of the crystal lattice.