Three N-propargylamide monomers with different pendent groups were synthesized and characterized with NMR

IR and elemental analysis techniques.These monomers were polymerized with Rh-catalyst in high yields (nearly 100%)

and the obtained polymers demonstrated high steroregularity.The secondary structures of the resulting polymers were examined by UV-Vis spectroscopy.The different pendent groups in the polymers' side chains placed different effects on the stability of the helices adopted by the corresponding polymers.It was concluded that the pendent groups affected largely both the formation of intramolecualr hydrogen bonds between the neighboring amide groups and the rigidity of the polymer main chains.These two factors are exceptionally important for poly(N-paropargylamides) to take the configuration of stable helices.