Syntheses of Photosensitive Poly(amino acids)

New poly(amino acids) (L-glutamic acid, L-tyrosine and L-lysine) containing photosensitive acryloyl, methacryloyl, and cinnamoyl groups in their side chains were synthesized from the corresponding amino acid NCAs. Their photosensitivities under UV irradiation were also investigated as to kind of functional group and the skeleton portion of the poly(amino acids). As regards the effect of the former, the sensitivities were in the order: acryloyl\simeqmethacryloyl>cinnamoyl; as regards the effect of the latter, the sensitivities were in the order: poly-glutamate>poly-lysine>poly-tyrosine.