Novel chiral amphiphilic diblock copolymers bearing L-phenylalanine or alpha-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester pendants were synthesized using a "click" reaction. The structure and composition of copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, (1)H NMR, elemental analysis and optical rotation measurements, which showed that the synthetic route can produce copolymers with well-defined composition and optical activity. The results from surface tension measurements, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and (1)H NMR spectra indicated that these chiral copolymers formed spherical micelles with an optically active hydrophobic core in a NaH(2)PO(4) buffer (pH 4.5) system. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.