Synthesis of Polymers Containing Lipoic Acid Structure and Study of the Acyl Transfer Reaction

Abstract Several S‐acetyl and S,S‐diacetyl derivatives of dihydrolipoic acid and amide were prepared as model compounds to examine acyl transfer reactions similar to those in living systems. A macromolecule bearing the lipoic acid (1,2‐dithiolane) structure was synthesized by polymer reaction of polyacrylamide. The acyl transfer from these S‐acetates to nucleophiles such as amine, alcohol and thiol as well as the catalytic behavior of silver ion in these reactions was studied.