Microwave-assisted clean synthesis of aromatic photoactive polyamides derived from 5-(3-acetoxynaphthoylamino)-isophthalic acid and aromatic diamines in ionic liquid

Dicarboxylic acid, 5-(3-acetoxynaphthoylamino)isophthalic acid was prepared in three steps. The direct polycondensation of this novel diacid with several aromatic diamines was studied in 1,3-diisopropylimidazolium bromide as an ionic liquid (IL) under microwave irradiation and conventional heating. The polymerization reaction was effectively preceded in IL, and triphenyl phosphite as an activating agent, and the resulting novel photoactive polyamides were obtained in high yields and moderate inherent viscosities in the range of 0.44–0.69 dL/g. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that polymers are thermally stable, 10% weight loss temperatures in excess of 390 and 470 °C, and char yields at 600 °C in nitrogen higher than 60%. These macromolecules exhibited maximum UV–vis absorption at 265 and 300 nm in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution. Their photoluminescence in DMF solution demonstrated fluorescence emission maxima around 361 and 427 nm for all of the polyamides. It is very important to note that, because of, high polarizability of ILs, they are very good solvents for absorbing microwaves.