Telechelic n-alkylated polyamide polymers and copolymers

Abstract

Low glass transition temperature polyamide oligomers or telechelic polyamides are formed from monomers forming tertiary amide linkages. These polyamides can be used with co-reactants to form high molecular weight or crosslinked polymers with desirable polyamide properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A telechelic polyamide comprising:
 a) repeat units derived from polymerizing monomers connected by linkages between the repeat units and functional end groups selected from carboxyl or primary or secondary amine, wherein at least 70 mole percent of telechelic polyamide have exactly two functional end groups of the same functional type selected from the group consisting of primary or secondary hydroxyl end groups;   b) a polyamide segment comprising at least two amide linkages characterized as being derived from reacting an amine with a carboxyl group, and said polyamide segment comprising repeat units derived from polymerizing two or more of monomers selected from lactams, aminocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and diamines;   c) wherein at least 10% of the total number of the heteroatom containing linkages connecting hydrocarbon type linkages are characterized as being amide, and   d) wherein at least 60 wt. % of said telechelic polyamide segment comprises repeat units of the structure   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R a  is the alkylene portion of the dicarboxylic acid and is a cyclic, linear, or branched alkylene of 2 to 36 carbon atoms, optionally including up to 1 heteroatom per 3 or 10 carbon atoms of the diacid, and 
         e) wherein R b  is a linear or branched alkylene of 2 to 60 carbon atoms and optionally being or including cyclic, heterocyclic, alkylene group and optionally containing up to 1 or 3 heteroatoms per 10 carbon atoms; and R c  and R d  connect together to form a single linear or branched alkylene group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms. 
       
     
     
         2 . A telechelic polyamide according, to  claim 1 , wherein at least 76% of said amide linkages are characterized as tertiary amide linkages and said polyamide portion is characterized as being within a) or b);
 a) when said amide linkages are derived from polymerizing amide forming monomers and at least 90 mole % of said amide forming monomers were combined amounts of dicarboxylic acid and diamine monomers then said polyamide is defined as a terpolymer of at least three different monomers, or   b) when said amide linkages are derived from polymerizing a combination of dicarboxylic acid, diamine and either lactam and/or aminocarboxylic acid monomers such that the total dicarboxylic acid monomer(s) and the diamine monomer(s) are present at 10 mole % or more and the total lactam and aminocarboxylic acid monomers are present in the monomer blend at 10 mole % or more, then there are no restrictions requiring additional different monomers.   
     
     
         3 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , wherein the total repeat units derived from monomers selected from the group of said lactam, aminocarboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid, and diamine in said amide linkages in said telechelic polyamide comprises at least 80 wt. % of said telechelic polyamide. 
     
     
         4 . A telechelic polyamide according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 70 wt. % of said telechelic polyamide segment comprises repeat units of the structure 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R a  is the alkylene portion of the dicarboxylic acid and is a cyclic, linear, or branched alkylene of 2 to 36 carbon atoms, optionally including up to 1 heteroatom per 3 or 10 carbon atoms of the diacid, more preferably from 4 to 36 carbon atoms and 
         wherein R b  is a linear or branched optionally being or including cyclic, heterocyclic, alkylene group of 2 to 60 carbon atoms and optionally containing up to 1 or 3 heteroatoms per 10 carbon atoms and R c  and R d  connect together to form a single linear or branched alkylene group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms. 
       
     
     
         5 . A telechelic polyamide, according to any of  claim 1 , wherein said two functional end groups of said polyamide were primary or secondary amine groups and said telechelic polyamide was reacted with a lactone of 2 to 10 carbon atoms and/or hydroxyl carboxylic acid of 3 to 30 carbon atoms to create one or more hydroxyl functional end group derived from said lactone or said hydroxyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         6 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 4 , wherein said 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       unit is derived from polymerizing diamine monomers including piperazine. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyamide had two carboxyl end groups and was reacted with a polyether molecule having one terminal amine and one terminal hydroxyl group or two terminal hydroxyl groups to provide endblocks for said telechelic polyamide, said polyamide after adding said endblocks having at least 80 mole % terminal primary or secondary hydroxyl end groups. 
     
     
         9 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , having functional end groups, wherein at least 80 mole % the functional end groups are primary or secondary hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , wherein the telechelic polyamide has a weight average molecular weight from about 200 to 10,000 g/mole. 
     
     
         12 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , wherein the telechelic polyamide has a weight average molecular weight from about 200 to 5,000 g/mole. 
     
     
         13 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 11 , wherein said telechelic polyamide without solvents has viscosity of less than 100,000 cps at 70° C. as measured by a Brookfield circular disc viscometer with the circular disc spinning at 5 rpm. 
     
     
         14 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 11 , wherein said telechelic polyamide without solvents has viscosity of less than 100,000 cps at 60° C. as measured by a Brookfield circular disc viscometer with the circular disc spinning at 5 rpm. 
     
     
         15 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , wherein said telechelic polyamide further comprises at least one oligomer segment selected from the group of a polyester segment, a polyether segment, and a polycarbonate segment. 
     
     
         16 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyamide had two carboxyl end groups and was reacted with an amino alcohol having 3 to 16 carbon atoms and having one secondary amine group and one hydroxyl group to provide hydroxyl terminal groups for said telechelic polyamide, said polyamide after adding said terminal hydroxyl groups having at least 80 mole % terminal primary or secondary hydroxyl end groups. 
     
     
         17 . A telechelic polyamide comprising:
 a) two functional end groups selected from hydroxyl or carboxyl;   b) a polyamide segment comprising at least two amide linkages characterized as being derived from reacting an amine with a carboxyl group, and said polyamide segment comprising repeat units derived from polymerizing two or more of monomers selected from lactams, aminocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and diamines; wherein at least 25% of the amide linkages are derived from reacting a secondary amine group with a carboxyl group, and said telechelic polyamide is characterized as a liquid with a viscosity of less than 100,000 cps at 70° C. as measured by a Brookfield circular disc viscometer with the circular disc spinning at 5 rpm   wherein at least 60 wt. % of said telechelic polyamide segment comprises repeat units of the structure   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R a  is the alkylene portion of the dicarboxylic acid and is a cyclic, linear, or branched alkylene of 2 to 36 carbon atoms, optionally including up to 1 heteroatom per 3 or 10 carbon atoms of the diacid, and 
         wherein R b  is a linear or branched alkylene of 2 to 60 carbon atoms and optionally being or including cyclic, heterocyclic, alkylene group and optionally containing up to 1 or 3 heteroatoms per 10 carbon atoms; and R c  and R d  connect together to form a single linear or branched alkylene group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms. 
       
     
     
         18 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 17 , wherein said telechelic polyamide is characterized by a weight average molecular weight from about 200 to 10,000 g/mole and comprises a diversity of amide forming repeating units disrupting hydrogen bonding between amide components. 
     
     
         19 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 17 , wherein said two functional end groups were primary or secondary amine groups and said telechelic polyamide was reacted with a lactone of 2 or 4 to 10 carbon atoms and/or hydroxyl carboxylic acid of 3 to 30 carbon atoms to create one or more hydroxyl functional end group derived from said lactone or said hydroxyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         20 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 19 , wherein two functional hydroxyl end groups per polyamide are generated by said reaction of said telechelic polyamide with said lactone and/or said hydroxyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         21 . A telechelic polyamide, according to  claim 17  wherein said telechelic polyamide is characterized by having two terminal hydroxyl groups derived from reacting a telechelic polyamide having two terminal carboxyl end groups with an amino alcohol having 3 to 16 carbon atoms and said amino alcohol having one secondary amine group and one hydroxyl group to provide hydroxyl terminal groups for said telechelic polyamide. 
     
     
         22 . A telechelic polyamide comprising:
 a) repeat units derived from polymerizing monomers connected by linkages between the repeat units and functional end groups selected from carboxyl or primary or secondary amine, wherein at least 70 mole percent of telechelic polyamide have exactly two functional end groups of the same functional type selected from the group consisting of primary or secondary hydroxyl end groups; and   b) a polyamide segment comprising at least two amide linkages characterized as being derived from reacting an amine with a carboxyl group, and said polyamide segment comprising repeat units derived from polymerizing two or more of monomers selected from lactams, aminocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and diamines; and
 wherein at least 90% of the total number of the heteroatom containing linkages connecting hydrocarbon type linkages are characterized as being amide.