Metal-catalyzed copolymerization of imines and CO: A non-amino acid route to polypeptides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.200700646

(Chemical Equation Presented) The path less taken: Copolymerization of imines and carbon monoxide has long been highly desirable as a route to synthesize polypeptides, but has been difficult to implement because of the lack of appropriate catalysts. This reaction has now been realized for the first time by using a simple cobalt catalyst (see scheme).