Polymer degradation by cross metathesis

Abstract

Olefin metathesis has been used since about 1969 for structural investigations in the field of polymers with C=C double bonds located in the backbone. In most cases polymers are degraded to low molecular substances which are separated by gas chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. The method is especially useful in the investigation of modification and cross-linking reactions of polyalkenylenes which result in multipolymers with a large number of different structure units. Here it is in special cases superior to spectroscopic methods. Scope and limits of application, general principles and characteristic examples of the method are discussed. © 1982 IUPAC