Catechol functional group of dopamine (3,4-dihydroxy-phenethylamine) has been known for the ability to form strong adhesive bonds to both inorganic and organic surfaces in aqueous environments. The catechol group transforms its chemical structure into a quinone form under oxidizing conditions which is highly reactive with various functional groups including thiol, amine, and quinone itself via Michael-type additions or Schiff base reactions. The related dopamine chemistry has been well documented recently, and many research groups demonstrated the usefulness of catechols (or dopamine) for surface functionalization. On the other hand, polyaspartamide and its functional derivatives, as a class of biocompatible water-soluble poly(amino acid), have been extensively studied for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.
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