Organocatalytic Ring-Opening Polymerization by Fluorinated Alcohol: Fulfilling Cocatalyst-Free, Metal-Free, High-Rate and High-Selectivity

we describe a fluorinated alcohol based catalytic system for polypeptide synthesis via catalytic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of <i>α</i>-amino acid <i>N</i>-carboxyanhydride (NCA), fulfilling cocatalyst-free, metal-free, high-rate and high-selectivity. The new finding not only represents a new catalysis mode of fluorinated alcohol but also provides a metal-free and fast approach to access well-defined polypeptides, mimics of natural analogs with extensive applications.