Polymers with pendent arylsulfonamide groups by interaction of sulfonic polyacids with amidic solvents

The amidation reaction of the sulfonic acid groups in linear and crosslinked polystyrene-based sulfonic polymers with amidic solvents such as formamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide or hexamethylphosphoramide was investigated. By appropriate adjustment of reaction parameters, copolymers containing unsubstituted or N,N-dimethyl substituted styrenesulfonamide repeating units up to high conversions can be obtained. The final products are water-soluble polymers or water-swellable resins which possess an ion-exchange ability due to their content of unreacted sulfonic acid groups. Some physico-chemical characteristics of these new polymers are pointed out.