POLYSPIRODILACTAM - A NEW FAMILY OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE POLYMERS

A new class of materials based on a spirodilactam structure has been r ecently synthesized as part of research into new polymeric materials. Not only is the spirodilactam structure novel, but it was not even the intended product in the synthesis as originally designed. The polymer ization process discovered by the reaction of 4-ketopimelic acid or it s corresponding spirodilactone with primary amines opened a new field of polyspirodilactam chemistry. This paper describes the chemistry lea ding to the discovery of spirodilactam-based polymers and initial appl ications in the area of thermoplastics and thermosets. Most recent dev elopments to be covered include aromatic spirodilactams and isomeric s pirodilactams.