Synthesis and characterization of polyamides obtained from tartaric acid and l-lysine

Two sets of AA · BB-type polyamides (PLyTA) were synthesized from natural compounds l-lysine and d- or l-tartaric acid via the active ester polycondensation method. The carboxyl and hydroxyl side groups were orthogonally protected as methyl ester and methyl ether, respectively. Direct reaction of methyl l-lysinate dihydrochloride with bis(pentachlorophenyl) di-O-methyl tartaric acid led to the aregic polyamide ar-PLyTA, whereas isoregic (ir-PLyTA) and syndioregic (sr-PLyTA) polyamides were obtained by polycondensation of specifically designed amide–aminoacid and amide–diamine monomeric precursors, respectively. These polyamides have intrinsic viscosities in the 0.50–0.76 dl g−1 range, display optical activity, and are readily soluble in chloroform. They start to decompose well above 200 °C and display glass-transition temperatures at 100–105 °C. DSC and X-ray diffraction results indicated that these polyamides are not crystalline but they seem to adopt a partially ordered phase. No differences in properties other than optical rotation were observed between PLyTA made of d- and l-tartaric acid.