MATRIX POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE INDUCED BY THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CARBONYL AND AMIDE GROUPS

Polymerizations of acrylamide (AAm) in the presence of several homo- a nd copolymers such as poly(methyl vinyl ketone) (poly-MVK) and poly(N- vinylpyrrolidone) (poly-VPr), copoly(MVK-St), and copoly(VPr-St) were carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 30-degrees-C without catalyst. Similarly, the polymerizations of AAm in the presence of poly(methyl methacrylate) were also carried out in THF at 40-degrees-C. The increa sing concentration of these matrix polymers increased the polymerizabi lity of AAm. Number-average molecular weight (MBAR(n)) of the resultin g poly-AAm were close to the molecular weight (MBAR(n)) of the matrix polymers. The polymerizability of N-methylacrylamide was lower than th at of AAm, and N,N-dimethylacrylamide did not polymerize at all. From these results it appeared that these matrix polymerizations proceeded by the interaction between the carbonyl group in the matrix polymer an d the amide group of the AAm monomer.