Synthesis and characterization of stereoregular AABB‐type polymannaramides

The condensation of D ‐mannaro‐1,4:6,3‐dilactone ( 2 ) with even‐numbered alkylenediamines (C₂, C₆–C₁₂) in a methanol solution and in the presence of triethylamine afforded polymannaramides 3 – 7 , which were isolated directly as white solids with various hydrophobic–hydrophilic characters. Because all the stereocenters in 2 possessed an S configuration, the random polymerization led to optically active, stereoregular polyhydroxypolyamides. The polymers were characterized by elemental analysis and IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Their number‐average molecular weights were estimated by ¹H NMR spectral integration analysis. Thermal and powder X‐ray diffraction studies revealed that compounds 3 – 7 were poorly crystalline. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1024–1030, 2001