The synthesis of novel carbohydrate-based polymers allows the structure to be tailored at the monomer level for a specific property and expands the range of available structures beyond those found in nature. Using a controlled anionic polymerization, a new type of carbohydrate polymer is synthesized in which glucose-derived monomers are joined by an α-1,2 amide linkage to give enantiopure poly-amido-saccharides (PASs). To investigate the effect of adding ionizable carboxylic acid groups, such as those found in natural polysaccharides containing glucuronic acid, the oxidation of the primary alcohol at the C6-position of the repeat unit to a carboxylic acid is reported. TEMPO-mediated oxidation provides control over the degree of oxidation in excellent yield. Based on circular dichroism, the oxidized polymers possess an ordered helical secondary structure in aqueous solution. Finally, oxidized PASs stabilize lysozyme toward dehydration and freezing stresses better than a current, widely used protein stabilizing agent, trehalose.

5‐Norbornene‐2‐ethyl ester (mixture of endo and exo) is polymerized via ring‐opening metathesis polymerization, yielding polymers with molecular weights ranging from 50,000 to 5,000,000 g/mol. The polymers are hydroxylated and saponified without alteration of the molecular weight. The polymers are analyzed by NMR, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Films are cast from the polymers at several molecular weights and their rheological properties are investigated. The results showed greater solid‐like character with increasing molecular weight for all polymers analyzed. Cell viability studies showed that the films possessed minimal cytotoxicity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012