Synthesis and radical polymerization of styrene derivative bearing kojic acid moieties

A styrene derivative ( 1 ) bearing kojic acid moieties was prepared by the base-catalyzed reaction of p-formylstyrene with kojic acid. Hydroxyl groups in 1 were subjected to acetylation. Although 1 did not undergo radical polymerization, the acetylated styrene derivative ( 2 ) showed good radical homo- and copolymerizability. For instance, a polymer having the number average molecular weight (M_n) of 60,000 was obtained in almost quantitative yield (97%) by the polymerization of 2 in chloroform (1.5 M) at 60°C for 36 h using α,α′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN, 5 mol %) as an initiator. Under similar conditions, copolymers of 2 with styrene were also obtained in high yield. By partial deacetylation of the copolymer with a triethylamine catalyst, a copolymer containing α-hydroxyketone structures originated from kojic acid moieties was successfully regenerated. The deacetylated copolymer can be crosslinked by complexation with metal salts such as Al³⁺. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.