Chemical modification of poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride) with primary N‐alkylamines by reactive extrusion

Reactive melt‐processing of poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride) (SMA) with primary N‐alkylamines was carried out in one step in a twin‐screw extruder. Ring formation of the imide occurred within the residence time of the extruder, at temperatures exceeding 220°C and with an excess of primary amines. The increasing chain length of grafted amine onto the SMA backbone depressed the glass transition temperature of poly(styrene‐co‐N‐alkylmaleimides) remarkably.