Formation of macrozwitterions in anionic vinyl polymerization initiated by tertiary phosphines. 5th communication on macrozwitterions1

The temperature dependency of the thermal degradation of Nylon 6.6 and Nylon 6.10 was compared under different state conditions. The considerably more pronounced thermal instability of Nylon 6.6 can be understood from the ring closure tendency of the adipic-acid component. In the presence of water the thermolysis is predominantly determined by reactions of the endgroups and in dry high-molecular systems by reactions involving chain-amide-groups, where the primary reaction step consists in a break of an amide-bond forming an amino-endgroup and a neutral cyclopentanone endgroup. In both cases the secondary products of the breakdown are compounds resulting from the reaction of cyclopentanone with amines, and partly products from the reaction of NH₃ with ? COOH and ? NHCO? . Not in all cases the strong tendency for gelation and the amount of NH₃ can be understood from the formation of secondary amines. The origin of relatively large amounts of NH₃ and CO₂ found in Nylon 6.6-degradation can satisfactorily be explained on the basis of previous model investigations.