SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLYAMIDES CO NTAINING A 5-MEMBERED LACTONE UNIT IN MAIN-CHAIN FROM AROMATIC DIAMINES - STUDIES ON POLYMERS CONTAINING A 5-MEMBERED LACTONE UNIT IN MAIN-CHAIN-IV

Interfacial and solution polycondensations of myl-2-chloroformylmethyl -2,4-dimethyl-4-butanolide with three kinds of phenylenediamines (o-, m-, and p-positional isomers) resulted in aromatic polyamides without cleavage of the lactone moiety. The p-isomer gave a polyamide in the h ighest yield when polycondensation was achieved by the solution method in tetrahydrofuran (THF), and the values of eta(sp)/c of the polyamid es increased in the following order: o-<m-<p- form. On the other hand, thermostability of the resulting polyamides increased in the followin g order: m-<o-<p- form. Cleavage of the lactone moiety occurred revers ibly by the treatment with alkali to afford a water-soluble polyamide.