Novel biocidal polyampholytes with guanidinium and carboxy groups

Abstract

Polyampholytes are a promising class of multifunctional polymers containing both cationic and anionic groups. By varying the total charge of the copolymers, it is possible to significantly change the properties of the target macromolecule, such as molecular weight, solubility, reactivity, etc. In an attempt to create new polyampholytes, here the radical copolymerization of 2,2‐diallyl‐1,1,3,3‐tetraethylguanidinium chloride (AGC) with acrylic (AA), methacrylic (MAA), vinylacetic (VAA), and crotonic (CA) acids in bulk and in organic solvents has been studied and described. The relative reactivity of the unsaturated acids in the radical copolymerization with AGC in bulk appears to be MAA > AA > CA > VAA. It is shown that both AGC double bonds participate in copolymerization with unsaturated acids, forming a cyclolinear polymer chain including cis/trans‐stereoisomeric pyrrolidinium subunits. The kinetics of this polymerization has been studied. The possibility and prospects of chemical modifications of copolymers by drugs bearing an amino group are considered. Moreover, the copolymers under study, including the guanidinium moiety, are effective against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria.