Esterification and amidation of polymeric acyl chlorides. A new route to polymethacrylates and polymethacrylamides with a variety of different side groups

This paper describes the synthesis of a number of polyacrylates, polymethacrylates and polymethacrylamides by polymer analogous esterification or amidation of polymeric acyl chlorides. The reactive prepolymers are accessible by free‐radical polymerization of acryloyl or methacryloyl chloride. Prepolymers with a reduced amount of reactive groups were prepared by copolymerization of methacryloyl chloride and methyl methacrylate. Polymer analogous esterification of the prepolymers leads to polyacrylates and polymethacrylates with azobenzene, carbazole and azosulfonate side groups. The synthesis of some polymethacrylates with NLO‐active side groups including photocrosslinkable materials is also described.