Macromolecular Dyes — Synthetic Strategies

Abstract

Colored macromolecular compounds abound in nature. Many colored resinous materials may be extracted from plant and animal sources, but a large majority of them are chemically complex mixtures, characterization of which remain serious analytical challenges. On the other hand, the syntheses of simpler and more clearly defined structurally colored polymers are of more recent origin, evolving largely from the need to impart hue to textile materials. Common dye molecules have low molecular weights and are soluble in aqueous or organic solvents and are, therefore, susceptible to continuous loss upon prolonged usage by diffusional and leaching processes. When such dye molecules are chemically bound to a macromolecule, be it the actual fibers of the textile or a secondary polymeric vehicle that strongly adheres to the fibers, significant enhancement of the fastness of the dyes result. Subsequent to this observation, many other applications of polymer bound dyes have been documented and some of these results will be described in the following pages.