Synthesis of an essentially alternating,aliphatic copolyamide

An essentially alternating copolyamide of 6-aminohexanoic acid and 11-aminoundecanoic acid was obtained by the condensation polymerization of methyl 11-(6-aminohexanamido)undecanoate. The monomer was synthesized by the following reaction steps: (1) nitration of cyclohexanone to α-nitrocyclohexanone; (2) cleavage of α-nitrocyclohexanone by methyl 11-aminoundecanoate to obtain methyl 11-(6-nitrohexanamido)undecanoate; (3) hydrogenation of the nitro group of the cleavage product. The polymer was characterized by its melting and crystallization behavior as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, by x-ray analysis, and by comparison with an equimolar, random copolyamide of the two amino acids.