Abstract

The thermal behaviour of poly(amide-ester)s with the amide group in the side chain was studied. Polymers were sinthesized from the diphenol-amides N-(2,6-dichloro-4nitrophenyl)-2, 2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propanamide, N-(2, 6-dichloro-4-nitrophenyl)3,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-butanamide, and N-(2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenyl)-4, 4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-pentanamide and terephthaloyl chloride, isophthaloyl chloride and adipoyl chloride under phase-transfer conditions using several phase-transfer catalysts. The thermal decomposition temperature was influenced by both, the nature of the diacid and the length of the side chain, those derived from terephthaloyl chloride being more stable than those derived from isophthaloyl chloride and adipoyl chloride. All polymers degrade in a single-step process and the kinetics parameters were determined using the Arrhenius relationship and a computer program. © 2000 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association) N.V. Published by license under the Gordon and Breach Science Publishers imprint.