Regular Copolyamides. III. Preparation and Characterization of Regular Aliphatic/Aromatic Copolyoxamides

Regular aliphatic/aromatic copolyoxamides were prepared from diamine-oxamides and aromatic diacid chlorides by interfacial and solution polymerization. Solution polymerization in chloroform or dimethylacetamide is preferred for the preparation of large quantities of polymers but interfacial polymerization is most conveniently carried out for the preparation of polymers with high molecular weight. Aromatic diacid chlorides used included the diacid chlorides of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, two isomeric naphthalene dicarboxylic acids, two cyclo-hexanedicarboxylic acid isomers, as well as 1,1-cyclobutane-dicarboxylic acid. Copolymers of diamine-oxamides with mixtures of acid chlorides of isophthalic and pyridine dicarboxylic acid and isophthalic acid/tetrachloroterephthalic acid have also been prepared. Most polymers are film-forming and are soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid, trifluoroacetic acid, and dimethylacetamide (containing several per cent LiCl). A number of these polymers gave dense or asymmetric membranes, particularly the polymers from ethylene diamine as the aliphatic diamine, particularly poly(iminoethyleneimino-oxalyliminoethyleneiminoisophthaloyl) (p-222I). Diamine oxamides with more than two amide groups in the molecules have been prepared, and in one case polymers with aromatic diacid chlorides have been prepared by interfacial polymerization. All regular aliphatic/aromatic copolyoxamides are high-melting and generally decompose above 350°C without melting. They can, however, be fabricated from solution into brittle fibers or into desalination membranes.