Direct generation of polymer films on copper surfaces through azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions between peptidomimetic oligomers

N-substituted glycine oligomers, or peptoids, can be used in conjunction with the copper-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azides and alkynes to generate branched polymer networks. By incorporating both azides and alkynes as side chain functionalities on the oligomer scaffolds, peptoids are able to form cross-linked macromolecular products. The oligomer starting materials are readily associated onto copper metal sheets, allowing for localized cross-link proliferation which in turn generates thin film polymer coatings. This novel procedure provides a direct method for the chemical modification of metal surfaces and the formation of mechanically robust sequence-specific polymer networks.