SYNTHESIS OF POLYESTER AND COPOLYESTERS HAVING AMINO-ACID MOIETIES IN THE MAIN-CHAIN

N,N-di (2-hydroxyethyl)-3-aminopropionic acid (M3) was synthesized and used for the preparation of a series of polyesters having amino acid moieties in the main chain and carboxyl groups as the side group. Polycondensation of M3, diols, bisphenol A, and isophthaloyl dichloride were performed in the presence of tertiary amine by solution and interfacial methods. Molecular weights of the polymers obtained by the solution method were not high, because oligomers produced at the early stage of reaction are ionized by H+ ions from the by-product, and become nonreactive triethylamine hydrochloride. Polymers with high M(w)BAR (1-10 X 10(4)) were obtained in a high yield by organic/organic two-phase interfacial polycondensation using DMAc and n-heptane as solvents. The combined nucleophilic and basic complex catalytic action of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl ethylene diamine (TEMED) is suggested for the present organic phase/organic phase interfacial polycondensation. This method can be applied for the preparation of novel functional polyesters. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.