LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT END-FUNCTIONALIZED POLY(N-VINYLPYRROLIDINONE) FOR THE MODIFICATION OF POLYPEPTIDE AMINOGROUPS

New monofunctionalized amphiphilic oligomers, poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidinones) with an hydroxyl end group, were prepared by radical polymerization with 2-isopropoxyethanol, fractionated by both gel-permeation chromatography and fractional precipitation. The terminal hydroxyl group oligomers was activated and reacted with the amino groups of a model peptide, and a protein. These hydroxylated oligomers were also converted to carboxylate end group which were also activated and used as protein and peptide modifying agents.