Synthesis and characterization of polymeric derivatives of the folic acid antagonist, Methotrexate, N-[4-(N-methyl-2,4-diamino-6-pteridinylmethylamino)benzoyl] glutamic acid (1a), a widely used antitumor agent, are described. Derivatives of poly(L-lysine), poly(iminoethylene), poly(vinyl alcohol), and carboxymethylcellulose with various contents (3–15 mole-%) of substituted repeating units were prepared by polymer-analogous amidation and transesterification of the dimethyl ester of 1a and with N-[2-(N-methylmorpholinio)ethyl]carbodiimide p-toluenesulfonate as coupling reagent. By nucleophilic addition reactions of the pteridinyl amino groups under mild conditions, 1a was bound without cross…