Polymerization and complexation of methacryloylglycine

Radical polymerization of methacryloylglycine (MGly) was kinetically investigated in distilled water and dimethyl sulfoxide. In both solvents, the polymerization obeys a conventional radical equation (rule of square root). Monomer reactivity ratios r_MGly = 0.64 and r_St = 1.21 were obtained in the copolymerization of MGly and styrene (St) in DMSO. On the basis of the monomer reactivity ratios obtained, copolymerization parameters Q_MGly and e_MGly were calculated to be 0.55 and ?0.29, respectively. Complexation constants of divalent metal ions with MGly and its polymer (PMGly) were determined by the modified Bjerrum method. The complexation constants of PMGly were larger than those of MGly. However, there is no difference between complexing abilities of PMGly and polyacrylic acid, although the additive effect of amide and carboxyl groups was expected on the complexation. The interactions of MGly and PMGly with Cu(II) and Mn(II) ions were studied using ¹³C‐NMR. The addition of copper(II) nitrate solution to MGly and PMGly solutions selectively broadens the methylene carbon and carboxyl carbon signals, and the addition of manganese(II) nitrate solution broadens the amide carbon and carboxyl carbon signals. These findings suggest that Cu(II) and Mn(II) ions form five‐ and seven‐membered chelate rings, respectively. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1303–1309, 1999