Functional monomers and polymers. XXXXVI. A copolymerization study of methacryloyl‐type monomers containing nucleic acid bases in chloroform solution

Abstract

Abstract Behavior of the free radical copolymerization of N ‐β‐methacryloyloxyethyl derivatives of adenine with that of thymine was studied in chloroform solution, taking account of the specific base‐base interaction of these monomers. Hydrogen bonding interaction between such monomers was observed by NMR spectroscopy. The acceleration of copolymerization was found to be greater either at lower monomer concentration or at lower polymerization temperature. When N ‐β‐methacryloyloxyethylcarbazole was used as a comonomer, the rate of copolymerization showed a similar trend as in the case of usual free radical copolymerizations. From r 1 and r 2 values obtained, the copolymerization was found to be alternating, particularly in the case of copolymerization between monomers having complementary nucleic acid bases. The results suggest that the hydrogen bonding interaction between adenine and thymine plays a role in the propagation step.