Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble hyperbranched poly(ester amine)s from diacrylates and diamines

Various water-soluble hyperbranched poly(ester amine)s were synthesized by the direct polyaddition of diamines to diacrylates in the absence of a catalyst. Each diamine contained a secondary amino group and a primary amino group such as 1-(2-aminoethyl)piperazine, N-methyl-1,3-propanediamine, or N-ethylethylenediamine. When the ratio of diacrylate to diamine was 1/1, no gelation was observed throughout the polymerization. When the ratio of diacrylate to diamine was 3/2, no crosslinking occurred in the diluted solution, whereas an insoluble network formed in the concentrated solution. Fourier transform infrared and mass spectrometry were used to investigate the reaction procedure. The secondary amino group of diamine reacted faster with the vinyl group of diacrylate; this resulted in the formation of the intermediate with an acrylate group and two active hydrogen atoms attached to a nitrogen atom. Further self-polyaddition of the intermediate, a kind of AB(2)type monomer, gave the hyperbranched poly(ester amine). (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.