Organic Chemistry 219 Module 8
Polymer - -large molecule made by repetitive linking of smaller units (monomers)
Macromolecule - -very large molecule composed of thousands of covalently bonded
atoms (ex: polymer)
1. Natural (in nature)
2. synthetic (in lab) - -two ways polymers are made
Rubber, carbs: starch & cellulose, proteins, nucleic acids DNA, RNA - -natural polymers
Nylon, teflon, styrofoam, polyethylene, Dacron, - -synthetic polymers
1. Method of formation
2. Final composition
3. stereo chemical orientation - -3 main ways to differentiate polymers
1. chain-growth
2. step-growth - -Two classifications of Synthetic polymers
Addition polymers - -chain growth polymers are also know as:
Made by addition of one monomer unit to another in a repetitive pattern - -How are
chain growth polymers made?
Chain growth polymerization - -A polymerization involving sequential addition to
monomers that are unsaturated (C=C) or have some other reactive functional groups
(particularly ethylene and derivatives)
1. intervention
2. consumption of all available monomers - -what 2 things stops chain growth
polymerization?
Teflon - -chain-growth
Polymer: polytetrafluoroethylene
Monomer: F2C=CF2
Nonstick coating, goretex, electrical insulator, chem-resistant coating
Saran - -chain-growth
Polymer: polyvinylidenedichloride
Monomer: H2C=CCl2
Cling-wrap
Organic Chemistry
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Polypropylene - -chain-growth
Polymer: polypropylene
Monomer: H2C=CHCH3
carpet fibers, car parts, toys, packaging, houseware
Orlon, Acrilan, Creslan - -chain-growth
Polymer: polyacrylonitrile
monomer: H2C=CH(CN)
Textiles/fibers, carpets, upholstery
Polyvinyl Acetate - -chain-growth
Polymer: polyvinyl acetate
Monomer: H2C=CH(OCOCH3)
elmers glue, silly putty, latex paints
Polyvinyl alcohol - -chain-growth
polymer: polyvinyl alcohol
monomer: H2C=CH(OH)
eye med- artificial tears
Plexiglass (Lucite) - -chain-growth
polymer: polymethylmethacrylate
monomer: H2C=C9CH3)COOCH3
clear plastic sheets , blocks, and tubing
the final polymer retains all of the atoms of the monomer - -The defining characteristic of
chain-growth polymers
step growth polymerization - -formed by the reaction between 2 different functional
groups on different monomer molecules with the accompanying loss of some small
molecule (typically water)
The final polymer chain does NOT include all the atoms initially present in the monomer
molecules - -The defining characteristic of step-growth polymers
Condensation polymers - -step-growth polymers also known as:
Typically di or polyfunctional - -functionality of step-growth monomers
Alternating order in the final polymer chain - -appearance of monomers in step-growth
polymerization
By carbon-heteroatom bond formation - -how step-growth polymers generally grow
Carbon-carbon bond formation - -how chain-growth polymers generally grow
Organic Chemistry