Jin Xuchen, Thornton Paul D
School of Chemistry, University of Leeds Leeds LS2 9JT UK.
School of Design, University of Leeds Leeds LS2 9JT UK
RSC Adv. 2025 May 23;15(22):17397-17404. doi: 10.1039/d5ra00641d. eCollection 2025 May 21.
α-Polylysine (PLys) is a versatile, renewable, and biodegradable polymer with extensive amine functionality and water-solubility, making it an ideal candidate for critical applications such as heavy metal adsorption and beyond. However, conventional synthesis of linear PLys relies on toxic reagents for side-chain deprotection, raising environmental and safety concerns that hinder its commercial scalability and sustainability. In this work, we introduce a groundbreaking, environmentally friendly method for PLys production using thermal deprotection of fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-protected PLys. This innovative approach eliminates the need for hazardous deprotection agents, offering a greener and more cost-effective alternative. Beyond the synthesis of homopolymeric PLys, we extend this method to create α-polylysine--poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG--PLys) block copolymers using thermal deprotection, showcasing their superior performance in removing Pb ions from aqueous solutions. Our results not only advance sustainable polymer synthesis but also demonstrate the potential of thermally driven deprotection to revolutionise wastewater treatment technologies and expand the scope of PLys applications in environmental remediation and other critical industries.
α-聚赖氨酸（PLys）是一种多功能、可再生且可生物降解的聚合物，具有广泛的胺官能团和水溶性，使其成为重金属吸附等关键应用及其他领域的理想候选材料。然而，传统的线性PLys合成依赖有毒试剂进行侧链脱保护，引发了环境和安全问题，阻碍了其商业可扩展性和可持续性。在这项工作中，我们引入了一种开创性的、环境友好的方法来生产PLys，即对芴甲氧羰基（Fmoc）保护的PLys进行热脱保护。这种创新方法无需使用危险的脱保护剂，提供了一种更绿色、更具成本效益的替代方案。除了合成均聚物PLys，我们还将此方法扩展到通过热脱保护制备α-聚赖氨酸-聚乙二醇（PEG-PLys）嵌段共聚物，展示了它们在从水溶液中去除铅离子方面的卓越性能。我们的研究结果不仅推动了可持续聚合物合成的发展，还证明了热驱动脱保护在彻底改变废水处理技术以及扩大PLys在环境修复和其他关键行业应用范围方面的潜力。
