STUDY OF AMIDES AND POLYAMIDES SYNTHESIZED FROM BIODEGRADABLE CARBOXYLIC ACIDS.

A series of seven novel amorphous amides and polyamides were synthesized from four biodegradable carboxylic acids by direct polycondensation with aliphatic diamines using Yamazaki-Higashi phosphorylation. Aliphatic carboxylic acids like acrylic acid, lactic acid, and adipic acid whereas aromatic carboxylic acid like terephthalic acid were reacted with ethylenediamine and diamino-propane respectively. The monocarboxylic acids yielded amides, whereas the dicarboxylic acids formed polyamides. The obtained products were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, LCMS, SEM, TGA, and DSC along with microbial biodegradation. The TGA thermogram comparison studies show a decrease in thermal degradation with an increase in the aliphatic chain. Also, the introduction of an aromatic ring decreases degradability. Glass transition of aliphatic polyamide at 140 °C has negligible melting endotherm. Also, the samples were structurally degraded after 15 days of biological treatment which was confirmed via FT-IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]