Synthesis of Homopolymers and Copolymers of Bulky Fumarates, and Their Spreading Behavior in Insoluble Monolayers

A series of fumaric esters and amides having bulky substituents were prepared, and their homo- and copolymerisations with electron-rich comonomers were investigated. As the resulting polymers are characterised by rather stiff polymer backbones, they represent weakly amphiphilic polymers of the ''hairy rod'' type which are accessible by radical polymerisation. The spreading behaviour at the air-water interface was studied, with respect to the influence of the substituents and of the comonomers used on monolayer properties.