Synthesis of Purine- and Pyrimidine-Containing Polyphosphazenes: Physical Properties and Hydrolytic Behavior

Abstract

We report here the first examples of poly(organophosphazenes) with side groups derived from the purines guanine and adenine and the pyrimidine cytosine. Polymers with these purines or pyrimidines as the only side groups proved difficult to synthesize by macromolecular substitution techniques because of the insolubility of the intermediate products. Therefore, cosubstitution reactions of the poly(dichlorophosphazene) with glycine ethyl ester, alanine ethyl ester, or diethylene glycol methyl ether, followed by the respective purine or pyrimidine, were utilized. Each pair of side groups was incorporated into the polyphosphazene in a 1:1 ratio. 31P NMR spectroscopy verified the replacement of all the chlorine atoms, while 1H and 13C NMR techniques confirmed the presence and ratio of the different side group. DRIFT spectroscopy indicated that the attachment of the purines or pyrimidines was via the primary amino functionality. Glass transition temperatures ranged from −28 to −15 °C for the mixed-substituent po...