Abstract
Functional polyamides with hydroxyl pendant groups were prepared by the direct polycondensation of 5,5`-methylene-bissalicylic acid, with various diamines (p-phenylenediamine, 4,4’-oxydianiline and 4,4’-methylenedianiline) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents. The resulting polymers were chemically modified with 4-maleimidobenzoyl chloride, resulting in polyamides with maleimide pendant groups. The polymer structures were confirmed by elemental analysis data and spectroscopic (IR, 1H-NMR) characterizations. Their inherent viscosities were in the range of 0.22 to 0.34 dlg-1. The polymers were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylformamide, and were thermally stable up to 314 °C. The chemically modified polyamides exhibited better solubility and thermal stability than their unmodified counterparts. Keywords: polyamide, maleimide, Yamazaki-Higashi polycondensation, reactive polymers