During the course of study on the synthesis of polyanhydrides from aromatic and aliphatic dibasic acids, various types of five‐membered heterocyclic polyanhydrides was investigated. As starting materials the five‐membered heterocyclic dibasic acids, furan‐2,5‐di‐β‐propionic acid, tetrahydrofuran‐2,5‐di‐β‐propionic acid, thiophene‐2,5‐di‐β‐propionic acid, N‐methyl‐pyrrole‐2,5‐di‐β‐propionic acid and N‐methyl‐pyrrolidine‐2,5‐di‐β‐propionic acid have been prepared in high yields from readily available furfural and levulinic acid.
Polycondensation reactions of various five‐membered heterocyclic dibasic acids were carried out with acetic anhydride at 200–300°C. under vacuum and nitrogen atmosphere. The linear heterocyclic polyanhydrides thus obtained have fiber‐ and film‐forming properties and melting points in the range of 70–190°C. It was confirmed from the experimental evidence that introduction of heterocyclic rings in the main chain of polyanhydrides decreases melting temperatures of crystallites and, hence, enhances molecular mobility, when compared with aromatic polyanhydrides previously reported3.
The influence of the molecular structure on the physical properties of heterocyclic polyanhydrides is discussed and compared with various aromatic and aliphatic polyanhydrides. Furthermore, the polymer structure was presumed on the basis of infrared spectra and X‐ray diagrams of these polymers.
New fiber‐forming polyamides containing heterocyclic groups were prepared form furan 2,5‐dipropionic acid and the corresponding tetrahydrofuran compound which were found to be prepared easily from furfural and levulinic acid. For example, poly‐decamethylenetetrahydrofuran 2,5‐dipropionamide (intrinsic viscosity 0.74) gave a fiber having, when cold drawn to 350%, tensile strength 3.1 g./denier and elongation 25%.