Phosphonobetaine/sulfur dioxide copolymer by Butler’s cyclopolymerization process

The zwitterionic monomer, ethyl 3-(N,N-diallylammonio)propanephosphonate and sulfur dioxide were cyclocopolymerized in DMSO using azobisisobutyronitrile or ammonium persulfate as initiators to afford a pH-responsive polyphosphonobetaine/SO2 (PPB/SO2) copolymer. The polymers, on treatment with HCl and NaOH, gave the aqueous solutions of the corresponding cationic polyphosphononic acid (CPP) and anionic polyphosphonate (APP). The solution properties of the PPB having two pH-responsive functionalities were investigated in detail by potentiometric and viscometric techniques. Basicity constants of the amine and phosphonate groups in APP were found to be “apparent” and as such follow the modified Henderson–Hasselbalch equation. The incorporation of SO2 moiety has resulted in the decrease of basicity constant of the nitrogens in the copolymer by staggering ⩾2 units of log K in compare to that of the corresponding homopolymer. The basicity difference is expected to have an effect on the chelating properties of the polymers. In contrast to many polycarbo- and -sulfobetaines, the PPB was all found to be soluble in salt-free water as well as in salt (including Ca2+ and Li+)-added solutions. The PPB demonstrated ‘antipolyelectrolyte’ viscosity behavior and found to have higher viscosity values in LiCl than in NaCl or NaI.