An Acyllactam-Type Growable End Group Formed in the Anionic Polymerization of a Bicyclic Oxalactam. The Isolation of the Polyamide and Its Use as an Activator in the Polymerization of 2-Pyrrolidone

Abstract

A bicyclic oxalactam, 8-oxa-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-7-one was anionically polymerized in dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature and the resulting hydrophilic polyamide having an acyllactam-type growable chain end was isolated from the polymerization system. The reactive end group was found to be easily converted to other functional groups by the hydrolysis or aminolysis with suppressing the simultaneous decomposition of the polyamide chain. The terminal acyllactam group in the polyamide, which was used as an activator in the anionic polymerization of 2-pyrrolidone, was quantitatively consumed and all of the macromolecular activator could be incorporated into the resulting copolymer. The thermal behavior and crystallization of the AB-type block copolymer composed of the hydrophilic polyamide and nylon-4 segments were influenced by the characteristics of the hydrophilic polyamide segment.