Extended peptoids: a new class of oligomers based on aromatic building blocks.

Peptoids (N-substituted polyglycines) represent a class of bioinspired oligomers that have unique physical and structural properties. Here we report the construction of "extended peptoids" based on aromatic building blocks, in which the N-alkylaminoacetyl group of the peptoid backbone has been replaced by an N-alkylaminomethylbenzoyl spacer. Both meta- and para-bromomethylbenzoic acids were synthesized, providing access to a new class of peptoids. Further, inclusion of hydrophilic side chains confers water solubility to these compounds, showing that, like simple peptoids, extended peptoids add an extra dimension to synthetic polyamide oligomers with potential application in a variety of biological contexts.