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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: reb0x on July 16, 2015, 02:36:42 AM

Title: Polymerization reactions
Post by: reb0x on July 16, 2015, 02:36:42 AM

Hi everyone new here but whatever pleaseee help me!!!!!!!!!!!
im taking  grade 12 Chem U course online, so I have to teach myself.. and the content that is provided is so limited. Anyways my question is: polymerization of propenol  (show 2 successive reactions) How do I DO THIS? I have no idea the content section is not helpful : 7- Polymerization reactions

A polymer is a substance having large molecules consisting of repeated units called monomers. Polymerization reactions are chemical reactions in which molecules join together to form a polymer.

For example, if a monomer is represented by H-R-OH, then the polymerization reaction gives:

HROH + HROH, reaction arrow, HRROH + H2O
Then, the product can continue to react with more reactant according to:

HRROH + HROH, reaction arrow, HRRROH + H2O
Notice how water is always formed during a polymerization reaction. This process keeps going, making the polymer chain very long.

That is what is in it.
Can someone pretty please explain this as soon as they can?

Mod edit: ALL CAPS removed or modified. Dan.

Title: Re: Polymerization reactions
Post by: reb0x on July 16, 2015, 02:40:04 AM

I made an attempt to this but it makes no sense!  Also somewhere I found that polyermization rxns only occur in alkenes and alkanes and isn't propenol and alcohol? this is soo confusing.

Title: Re: Polymerization reactions
Post by: sjb on July 16, 2015, 02:56:51 AM

So basically there are two different types of polymerisation. One is condensation polymerisation as described in your first post. The other is addition polymerisation, which is probably more applicable here (what is the structure of propenol?) Consider http://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/alkenes/polymerisation.html or similar

Title: Re: Polymerization reactions
Post by: reb0x on July 16, 2015, 03:10:01 AM

Quote from: sjb on July 16, 2015, 02:56:51 AM

So basically there are two different types of polymerisation. One is condensation polymerisation as described in your first post. The other is addition polymerisation, which is probably more applicable here (what is the structure of propenol?) Consider http://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/alkenes/polymerisation.html or similar

thanks for the reply!, I tried to do the addition one however, in the content section it says water is also produced and I know that water is the by product of condensation polymerisation so would I use that one? I have no real example in my content section to guide me on this and everything online is not really helpful.
The structure of propenol is CH₂=CHCH₂OH
FYI I emailed my online instructor also she said to "refer to the example and follow it"  :-\

Title: Re: Polymerization reactions
Post by: sjb on July 17, 2015, 04:52:24 AM

Hmm, where in the content section? I don't see it in the page I posted. For this question I'd look under the section "The general structure" on that page.

Title: Re: Polymerization reactions
Post by: yabbadabbadoodoodoo on July 18, 2015, 09:06:11 PM

So this is condensation polymerization.

You have your starting monomer (Monomer 1) CH2=CHCH2OH

In order to form a polymer (this means a repeating set of identical monomers) the next monomer (monomer 2) CH2=CHCH2OH will attach to the OH end.

But in order for this to happen, the OH from "Monomer 1" must be removed and equally a H from the 'left' side of "Monomer 2" must be removed.

- See if this is enough to help you along, the example is accurate.