The thermal polycondensation of aspartic acid (I) yields anhydropolyaspartic acid (IV). Various steps in an assumed mechanism, I+ I1+ I11+ IV, were investigated. On heating, acetyl aspartic acid gave anhydropolyaspartic acid instead of the monomer anhydride. bAspartic anhydride (11) was polymerized to poly-a, p-Laspartic acid (111) which formed IV under the same conditions as I. Partial hydrolysis of IV reformed 111. The conversion of ...
