Synthesis and polymerization of new styryl and methacryloyl monomers containing acidic saccharide moieties

New styryl‐type water‐insoluble and methacryloyl‐type water‐soluble monomers, N‐(p‐vinylbenzyl)‐1,2‐O‐isopropylidene‐6‐D‐glucofuranuronamide and N‐(2‐methacryloylamino)ethyl‐1,2‐O‐isopropylidene‐6‐D‐glucofuranuronamide, were synthesized from the most common acidic saccharide, D‐glucuronic acid. Their radical homopolymerizations and copolymerizations with styrene and acrylamide were tried under various conditions. The isopropylidene groups in the resulting polymers were removed in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and water (2/1 v/v) to give the corresponding polymers with many pendant D‐glucopyranuronyl groups with reactive reducing groups. The pendant reducing ends may be useful as potential binding sites under a hydrophilic atmosphere.