Synthesis of Schiff bases from poly(acryl amid) and some aldehydes

5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 5- methyl-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde were inserted in to the structure of poly(acryl amid) to modify the cation retaining characteristic of the polymer. A new approach for the investigation of the selectivity of modified poly(acryl amid) toward metal ions was develeopped and the tentative structural features of the coordination compleexes of Cu(II) and Ni(II) were suggested. The structure of the modified polymer was characterized by using 1H-NMR , UV- visible spectroscopic and IR spectroscopic data. Azomethyne (?CH=N-) and amino group NMR signals were made use of to determine the relative abundance of Schiff base and acrylamide groups in the modified polymer. The mass-based mean moleculer weights of the poly-Schiff base and its Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes were found and a structure for the main polimeric unit was proposed. Mean molecular weight was also determined by vapour pressure osmometry. The hetorojenity index was calculated to be 1,8 approximately. The conductances of the halogen- coutaining polymers were found to be measurably high in the temperature range 25- 50 oC whereas, the polymer bearing a methyl group on the benzaldehyde moity was not conducting above 45 oC. Cu(II) and Ni(II) contents of the metal-attached polymers were determined by ICP-MS technique and the modified acrylamides were found to attach more strongly to Cu(II) than to Ni(II). Key Words : Poly-Schiff bases, poly condensation, selectivity, polymericcomplexes, poly(acryl amid), conductivity.