COPOLYMERS OF 5-CHLORO-8-QUINOLINYL ACRYLATE AND ACRYLAMIDE - SYNTHESIS, HYDROLYSIS BEHAVIOR AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

New copolymers of 5-chloro-8-quinolinyl acrylate (AQ) and acrylamide ( AM) of various composition were prepared by radical polymerization. Th e obtained polymers were characterized by spectroscopic methods (IR, H -1 and C-13 NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Copolyme rs with AQ content less than 2 mol% are soluble in water. The product of the reactivity ratios is near unity and the monomer pair exhibits a random tendency in copolymerization. The hydrolysis of the copolymers follows pseudo first order kinetics. The hydrolytic release of 5-chlo ro-8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) is faster for copolymers of lower AQ conten t. The antimicrobial activity of some AM-AQ copolymers was tested on G ram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the minimum inhibitory con centrations were determined. The tested compounds exhibit comparativel y high antibacterial activity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.