1. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Olivos 1007, Santiago, Chile;2. Instituto de Materiales y Reactivos, Universidad de La Habana, Zapata y G, CP 10400, C. Habana, Cuba;3. Current address: Centro de Física de Materiales, Material Physics Center (CSIC‐UPV/EHU), Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 5, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain;4. Institut für Organische Chemie, Johannes‐Gutenberg Universit?t Mainz, Duesbergweg 10‐14, Mainz, D‐55099 Germany
Abstract:
Water‐soluble copolymers from mono‐1‐alkyl itaconates and N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone are synthesized and characterized. The mono‐1‐alkyl itaconates are prepared from itaconic anhydride and the related alcohol: 1‐dodecanol, 1‐octadecanol, 1‐docosanol, and 1‐triacontanol. The mono‐1‐triacontyl itaconate is synthesized from plant growth regulator policosanols extracted from Agave fourcrouydes, where 1‐triacontanol is the major product. The reactivity ratios, calculated according to the Mao‐Huglin method for copolymerizations conducted to medium‐high conversions, indicate a tendency toward alternation for all copolymerization reactions. Water solubility of copolymers is provided as a function of copolymer composition and aliphatic chain length.
