Synthesis of Macromolecules by Step Growth Polymerization

Abstract

Condensation polymerizations (polycondensations) are stepwise reactions between bifunctional or polyfunctional components, with elimination of small molecules such as water, alcohol, or hydrogen and the formation of macromolecular substances. For the preparation of linear condensation polymers from bifunctional compounds (the same considerations apply to polyfunctional compounds which then lead to branched, hyperbranched, or crosslinked condensation polymers) there are basically two possibilities. One either starts from a monomer which has two unlike groups suitable for polycondensation (AB type), or one starts from two different monomers, each possessing a pair of identical reactive groups that can react with each other (AABB type). An example of the AB type is the polycondensation of hydroxycarboxylic acids: