COPOLYMERS OF MA/EA/BA WITH N-SUBSTITUTED MALEIMIDE: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND EFFECT ON THE THERMAL PROPERTIES

Copolymers of N-[4-(acetylamino) phenyl] maleimide (AAPMI) were synthesized by reacting with Methyl acrylate (MA)/Ethyl acrylate (EA)/Butyl acrylate (BA). All polymers show good solubility in polar solvent. Polymers are structurally characterized by FT-IR and 1H- NMR spectroscopic methods and biologically by antibacterial and antifungal assays for evaluating their potential use for biomedical applications. The compositions of the copolymers as well as reactivity ratios for applied comonomer were determined by Finemann Ross method. Copolymers (CAAPMI) with various proportions of N-[4-(acetyl)phenyl amino]maleimide (AAPMI) and Butyl acrylate [BA] were prepared by free radical polymerization in tetrahydrofuran (THF) using 2,2'-azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator at 70 ± 2°C. The nine copolymer samples were synthesized from different feed ratio of comonomer. Thermal behavior of homopolymer and copolymers were evaluated by TGA and DSC. Gel permeation chromatography was applied to determine the molecular weights of the polymers.