A novel route to substituted poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)s via simple functionalization of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone in the 3-position by ring-opening reactions

A general synthetic approach is described that allows to obtain novel 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP) derivatives with different kinds of functional groups in its 3-position in a one-pot reaction. The strategy used to achieve this goal is the reaction of the carboxamide anion of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone with cyclic precursors of these functionalities. While the driving force for the reactions of three-membered rings is their high annular tension, it is shown here that larger heterocycles can be opened with good yield when additional electron-withdrawing groups are present in the ring. This leads to VP with longer spacer groups between the functionality and the future polymeric main chain. Furthermore, the high versatility of this procedure is demonstrated by the preparation, for the first time, of VP modified with amine or sulfonic functionalities that allow to prepare the corresponding aminated and sulfonated PVPs.