A study of the conformational stability of poly(β-benzyl l-aspartate), poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate) and poly(β-benzyl l-aspartate)/poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate) blend in the solid state by variable-temperature 13C CP/MAS NMR

13C CP/MAS NMR experiments on polypeptides, poly(β-benzyl l-aspartate) (PBLA), poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate) (PBLG) and PBLA/PBLG blend have been carried out, in order to elucidate the conformational stability of the polypeptides in the solid state over a wide range of temperatures and its blending effect. The PBLA/PBLG blend with a mixture ratio of 1/1 is prepared by adding trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) solution to alkaline water (TFA-alkaline treatment). From these experimental results, it is found that the conformation of PBLA in the PBLA/PBLG blend sample is changed from left-handed helix (αL-helix and/or ωL-helix) form to the αR-helix form, and then the origin of the formation of the αR-helix form in PBLA comes from the existence of PBLG. Further, from the variable-temperature 13C CP/MAS NMR experiments results, it is shown that the conformational behavior of PBLA in the PBLA/PBLG blend is similar to that of the TFA-alkaline treated PBLA, and also the conformational behavior of PBLG in the PBLA/PBLG blend is similar to that of the TFA-alkaline treated PBLG. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]