New fluorescing polyanhydrides based on aliphatic and aromatic diacids

A series of new polyanhydrides, +OC(O)ArXC(O)(CH2)(n)C(O)+(m), where Ar was (substituted) phenylene, X was O or NH and n was 2, 3 or 4, was synthesize d. Polyanhydride fluorescence was observed only for those with the number o f methene groups in the repeating unit (n) being 2. Copolymers based on seb acic acids and the above chromophoric units can also emit light. The relati ve fluorescence intensity of poly[p-(carboxyethylformamido)benzoic-co-sebac ic anhydride] (P(CEFB-SA)) and PCEFB, IP(CEFB-SA)/I-PCEFB, increases with a decrease in the fraction of SA. However, the fluorescence intensity of pol y[o-acetyl-p-(carboxyethylformamido)benzoic-co-sebacic anhydride] (P(ACEFB- SA)) reaches a maximum when the ACEFB content is 50%.