THERMAL POLYCONDENSATION SYNTHESIS OF BIOMIMETIC SERINE-CONTAINING DERIVATIVES OF POLYASPARTATE - POTENT INHIBITORS OF CALCIUM-CARBONATE AND PHOSPHATE CRYSTALLIZATION

Biocompatable, degradable polymers that are powerful inhibitors of mineral formation were synthesized by automated solid phase and thermal polycondensation techniques. These polymers are analogues of natural proteins isolated from CaCO3 biomineral and consist primarily of polyaspartic acid and serine or modified serine residues. Phosphorylation of the serine residues greatly enhanced the inhibitory activity of the polymers. Synthesis in the presence of orthophosphoric acid resulted in the decomposition and modification of serine. These modified residues when incorporated into the polyaspartic acid also enhanced inhibitory activity of the polymers. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.