Facile synthesis of dendronized polyamides with chloromethyl groups in the periphery and some properties

A novel dendronized aromatic polyamide with a polyamide backbone and chloromethylene‐end‐functionalized polyamide dendrons is reported for the first time. An attempt at a one‐pot synthesis of end‐functionalized dendronized polymers with a macromonomer strategy without protection and deprotection procedures is also reported for the first time. The results from Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectral analysis indicated that perfect coverage of the chloromethyl groups in the periphery of the resulting polymers was obtained. Data from gel permeation chromatography analysis showed a typical weight‐average molecular weight (M_w) of 76,678 and a polydispersity of 2.44 for the first‐generation polymers and an M_w of 41,554 and a polydispersity of 2.74 for the second‐generation polymers. The solubility in solvents for the resulting polymers was improved remarkably because of the introduction of the dendritic fragments and the existence of the periphery functional groups. Both the glass‐transition temperature and onset decomposition temperature decreased versus those of the linear aromatic polyamides, but the 50% weight loss temperature was still up to 723°C. The X‐ray diffractograms indicated only an amorphous peak in the wide‐angle region of 24–25°. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007