Two series of macromolecular complexes of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) [100K and 600K]/sodium poly(α,l-glutamate) (PGNA) [MW 1K and 45K] and poly(ethylene glycol) [MW 350−2000]/PGNA
[1K] have been prepared by solution blending using water/methanol mixtures. All the macromolecular
complexes were soluble in water. The PGNA/PEO macromolecular complexes were mechanically reliable
opaque films and may be stretched a couple of fold to form white opaque fibrils. Formation of the α-helical
conformation of PGNA in the complexes was determined by CD studies; e.g., the CD spectrum of a film
of PGNA 1K−PEO 600K (1:2.5, w/w) complex showed a positive peak at 200 nm and two negative peaks
at 207 and 220 nm, indicating the presence of the α-helical PGNA conformation in the complex. FT-IR
spectra of the complexes support the presence of the α-helical PGNA conformation in the macromolecular
complexes. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns of the PGNA 1K−PEO 600K (1:2.5 and 1:5,
w/w) indicate that some of the PEO crystalline segments in the complex form a near planar zigzag
conformation. Solution 23Na and 2D-NOESY 1H NMR spectra of the complexes in nonaqueous solvents
revealed interaction between the PEO and PGNA at the following sites: CH2−CH2 (of PEO) and γ-CH2−
(of PGNA) [hydrophobic interaction] and 〉O- - -Na+ [ion−dipole interaction]. In aqueous solutions, ion−dipole complex sites dissociated completely to form free (solvated) sodium ions, and the number of contact
points interacting through hydrophobic interactions was reduced significantly and diminished in dilute
solutions. The proposed solid-state structure of the macromolecular complex is a helical PGNA core; PEO
crystalline segments having near planar zigzag conformations; glutamate and ethylene oxide segments
interacting through ion−dipole interaction; and β and γ groups of PGNA side groups interacting with
PEO segments through hydrophobic interactions.