Associating behaviour of polyacrylamide modified with a new hydrophobic zwitterionic monomer

The nucleophilic ring opening of dicyanoketene ethylene acetal by tertiary amino monomers leads to an hydrophobic zwitterionic monomer [(dimethylammonioethoxy)dicyanoethenolate]propyl-methacrylamide (DADPMA) characterized by a very high dipole moment. Hydrophobically modified water soluble polymers have been prepared by classical radical polymerization of acrylamide and DADPMA either in homogeneous medium (water/ethanol mixtures) or in micellar solution (water containing sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS)). The copolymers obtained have a high molecular weight (M-omega = 2-5 x 10(6) g mol(-1)) and are water soluble for a content of DADPMA lower than 1% mole/mole. The properties of the copolymers in aqueous solution depend on the synthesis conditions, especially on the ratio ethanol:zwitterionic monomer. (C) 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.