Synthesis and applications of quaternized highly branched polyacrylamide as a novel multi-site polymeric phase transfer catalyst

Abstract

In current study, quaternized highly branched polyacrylamide (HBAA) was synthesized and used as an efficient multi-site polymeric phase transfer catalyst in nucleophilic substitution reactions and also in synthesis of α, β-unsaturated nitriles from reaction of acetonitrile and carbonyl compounds. The quaternized HBAA was synthesized via two steps. First, HBAA was synthesized via self-condensing vinyl polymerization of acrylamide at appropriate molar ratio of monomer to diperiodatocuprate(III). In the second step, 3-acrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium iodide was polymerized on peripheral area of the HBAA in the presence of diperiodatocuprate(III) solution again. The thermal behavior of HBAA and that of the quaternized HBAA were studied by DSC and TGA analysis. This phase transfer catalyst was easily recovered after reaction and reused several times without any loss of activity.