Microwave heating coupled with ionic liquids: Synthesis and properties of novel optically active polyamides, thermal degradation and electrochemical stability on multi-walled carbon nanotubes electrode

Rapid and efficient synthesis of novel optically active polyamides (PAs) was achieved under microwave irradiation. Thus, step-growth polymerization of a novel chiral diacid containing naphthalimide and flexible chiral groups with different diisocyanates in the presence of a small amount of ionic liquids that act as a primary microwave absorber as well as conventional heating was carried out. The PAs were characterized using FT-IR, H-1 NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorimetry and elemental analysis. Thermal properties of new PAs were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The interpretation of kinetic parameters (E, Delta H, Delta S and Delta G) of thermal decomposition stages has been evaluated using Coats-Redfern equations. Here also for the first time we report an electrochemical oxidation method based on the adsorptive stripping cyclic voltammetry technique on the multi-walled carbon nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrode for the investigation of electrochemical stability of the resulting polymers in aqueous solution at various pH values. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.