Polydisuccinimides: Polyaddition reactions of aliphatic and aromatic diamines to N,N′-bismaleimide

Polyaddition reactions of aliphatic and aromatic diamines to N,N′-bismaleimide and model compounds have been investigated in order to establish some properties of this imide. Glacial acetic acid has a catalytic effect when used as solvent in the preparation of aspartimide compounds. Aromatic diamines show a much smaller reactivity than aliphatic, the former giving polydisuccinimides and the latter polyamides under the same reaction conditions. Addition reactions of N,N′-bismaleimide proceed either by an ionic mechanism in polar solvents or by a homolytic process in solvents precluding ion formation. The thermal stability and the infrared spectra of the new polymers are discussed.