Über synthetische Matrizenreaktionen

Molecularly homogeneous, polynuclear phenolic compounds were esterified with acrylic acid and methacrylic acid chlorides. The pcresyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid react in high dilution in boiling benzene with a large excess of radicals derived from AIBN in such manner that the growth step of the free-radical polymerization is prevented; this may be denoted a “suppressed” polymerization. The application of these conditions to the previously mentioned poly-nuclear esters results in the formation of molecularly homogeneous cyclooligomers (ladder oligomers). Alkaline hydrolysis of these oligomers permits recovery of the polynuclear phenols and yields molecularly homogeneous oligoacrylic acid and oligomethacrylic acid, the structures of which were proved by the preparation of a variety of ester derivatives. The presented reaction path seems to be a very simple model of the biosynthesis of proteins. Finally, evidence is presented for the consideration of this reaction sequence as a synthetic matrix reaction.