Dendritic macromolecules containing aminoalkyl terminal groups and their preparation from unsaturated nitriles

Dendritic macromols. with resistance to degrdn. by heat and hydrolysis are prepd. by the Michael addn. reaction of a core compd. such as 1,4-butanediamine (I) with acrylonitrile (II) or fumarodinitrile (III) and hydrogenation of the nitrile groups of the product to give amino groups, followed by successive repetitions of the Michael addn. reaction of the amino groups with II or III and the hydrogenation of nitrile groups to amino groups. Reacting I with II, hydrogenating the nitrile groups to form [CH2CH2N[(CH2)3NH2]2]2, and repeating the reaction with I and the hydrogenation gave the dendritic polyamine [CH2CH2N[(CH2)3N[(CH2)3NH2]2]2]2