Polynucleotide analogues. Copolymers of vinyl bases with acrylic acid, methylacrylic acid, acrylamide, and 1-vinylpyrrolidone.

Preliminary studies are reported on the synthesis and testing of substituted vinyl polymers that are designed to have sequence specific affinity for polyribonucleic acids. Copolymers of 1-vinyluracil with acrylic acid, 2-methylacrylic acid, or 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone were prepared by gamma-irradiation to give the respective polymers 1,3, and 4. Similarly, 9-vinyladenine yielded copolymeric products 5 and 6 with acrylic acid or 2-methylacrylic acid. Radical initiated polymerization of 9-vinyladenine with acrylamide yielded copolymer 7. The products were characterized by elemental analysis and ultraviolet, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. No hypochromicity could be detected on mixing polymers 1-4 with poly(adenylic acid). The acrylic acid copolymer 2 containing a high ratio of vinyluracil was a potent inhibitor of poly(adenylic acid) coded polylysine synthesis in an in vitro system. Polymers 6 and 7, containing a high proportion of vinyladenine, inhibited poly(uridylic acid) coded poly(phenylalanine) synthesis.