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Chemical Compounds Functional Groups Steric Effects Alkenes Radical Reactions Carbonyl Group Alkanes

Polymerization occurs through different reaction mechanisms depending on functional groups and steric effects. Simple alkenes polymerize through radical reactions to form polymers like polyethylene and PVC, which are produced in high volumes for commercial uses. Other monomers like formaldehyde can polymerize at low temperatures to form trimers of three monomer units which can further react to form tetramers or oligomers. Uncontrolled fast polymerization can be hazardous and cause fires or explosions.

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28 views1 page

Chemical Compounds Functional Groups Steric Effects Alkenes Radical Reactions Carbonyl Group Alkanes

Polymerization occurs through different reaction mechanisms depending on functional groups and steric effects. Simple alkenes polymerize through radical reactions to form polymers like polyethylene and PVC, which are produced in high volumes for commercial uses. Other monomers like formaldehyde can polymerize at low temperatures to form trimers of three monomer units which can further react to form tetramers or oligomers. Uncontrolled fast polymerization can be hazardous and cause fires or explosions.

Uploaded by

Joanne Jaen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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In chemical compounds, polymerization occurs via a variety of reaction mechanisms that vary in complexity

due to functional groups present in reacting compounds[4] and their inherent steric effects. In more
straightforward polymerization, alkenes form polymers through relatively simple radical reactions; in contrast,
more complex reactions such as those that involve substitution at the carbonyl group require more complex
synthesis due to the way in which reacting molecules polymerize.[4] Alkanes can also be polymerized, but only
with the help of strong acids.[5]
As alkenes can be formed in somewhat straightforward reaction mechanisms, they form useful compounds
such as polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) when undergoing radical reactions,[4] which are produced in
high tonnages each year[4] due to their usefulness in manufacturing processes of commercial products, such as
piping, insulation and packaging. In general, polymers such as PVC are referred to as "homopolymers," as
they consist of repeated long chains or structures of the same monomer unit, whereas polymers that consist of
more than one molecule are referred to as copolymers (or co-polymers).[6]
Other monomer units, such as formaldehyde hydrates or simple aldehydes, are able to polymerize themselves
at quite low temperatures (ca. 80 C) to form trimers;[4] molecules consisting of 3 monomer units, which can
cyclize to form ring cyclic structures, or undergo further reactions to form tetramers,[4] or 4 monomer-unit
compounds. Further compounds either being referred to as oligomers[4] in smaller molecules. Generally,
because formaldehyde is an exceptionally reactive electrophile it allows nucleophillic addition of hemiacetal
intermediates, which are in general short-lived and relatively unstable "mid-stage" compounds that react with
other molecules present to form more stable polymeric compounds.
Polymerization that is not sufficiently moderated and proceeds at a fast rate can be very hazardous. This
phenomenon is known as hazardous polymerization and can cause fires and explosions.

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