Conclusion It is evident that poly (ethy1enimine) polymers can accelerate hydrolysis in an activated amide such as 1. The effects observed are largely due to increased local concentrations of hydroxide ion and of substrate. The intrinsic reactivity of the OH-ion, however, does not appear to be changed, evidently because it is situated at the periphery of the hydrophobic domain rather than within the apolar cluster. It is possible, therefore, that ...
