Copolymers of 1-vinylimidazole and (meth)acrylic acid: Synthesis and polyelectrolyte properties

New hydrophilic polyampholytes have been synthesized by copolymerization of I-vinylimidazole with sodium salts of acrylic and methacrylic acids. Copolymerization reactivity ratios of the monomers are equal to: 0.54 +/- 0.06 and 1.3 +/- 0.3 for 1-vinylimidazole-sodium acrylate, 0.23 +/- 0.01 and 2.6 +/- 0.2 for 1-vinylimidazole-sodium methacrylate systems, correspondingly. Isoelectric point of the copolymers changes continuously from 2.8 to 6.7 with increasing the 1-vinylimidazole content in contrast to polyampholytes with amino instead of imidazole side groups, whose isoelectric point changes discontinuously with changing composition. Static and dynamic light scattering data point to tendency of polyampholyte macromolecules to aggregation, even at pH values far from isoelectric point. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.