Abstract: | Various N-(hydroxyethyl)amino acid esters having a methyl substituent or phenyl group between amine and ester groups have been synthesized and their polycondensation behavior was investigated. These substituted amino acid esters gave amorphous polyamides which were soluble in alcohol. A model reaction between N-(hydroxyethyl)-amine and carboxylic acid ester was carried out in order to elucidate the role of hydroxyethyl group on the polycondensation. It was found that the amidation reaction took place rapidly at room temperature when the alkyl group of the carboxylic acid was small. N-(Hydroxyethyl) polyamides were obtained from N,N′-(bishydroxyethyl)-dicamines and dicarboxylic acid esters. The reaction mechanism of the room-temperature polycondensation reaction is discussed. |