Star polymers composed entirely of amino acid building blocks: a route towards stereospecific, biodegradable and hierarchically functionalized stars.

Highly functionalized water soluble core cross-linked star (CCS) polymers having degradable cores and hierarchical functionalities spanning from the peripheral groups along the arms to the core have been synthesized entirely from amino acid building blocks. The core-isolated moieties were shown to undergo further reactions, such as click chemistry, as well as being capable of encapsulating water-insoluble drugs.