SYNTHESIS AND MONOLAYER POLYMERIZATION OF LIPID-LIKE MONOMERS WITH TERMINAL METHACRYLIC GROUPS

A series of monomer surfactants, containing methacrylic groups at the end of the hydrocarbon chain, was synthesized including 12-methacryloy lhydroxydodecanoic acid, 12- yloylhydroxydodecanoyl)glycerophosphatidy lcholine, 16-methacryloylhydroxyhexadecanoic acid, and 16-bis- oylhydr oxyhexadecanoyl)glycerophosphatidylcholine. The monomers were characte rized with respect to the surfactant properties at the liquid-gas inte rface, The polymerization in monolayers of these monomers, induced by the UV irradiation (254 nm), was studied, The polymerization rate exhi bited a nonmonotonic dependence on the surface tension, with a maximum rate of (3.3-5.5) x 10(-4) c(-1) observed at a surface tension of 7.5 -12 mN/m.