organic chemistry - synthetic polymers

Question 1

what is addition polymer?

Answer 1

a polymer joined up by many monomers.

Question 2

how is a polymer formed?

Answer 2

• one bond in the monomers double bond breaks
• monomers join together to form a long chain
• polymer contains only single bonds
  e.g.

H H
\ /
C = C
/ \
H H
ethene

H H
l l
– C ——– C —
l l
H H
polyethene (there is multiple of those bonded together)

Question 3

how to draw the repeated unit of an addition poly(ethene)

Answer 3

H. H
l l
C = C
l l
H H
monomer (ethene)

H       H
 l         l --- C ---- C ---
 l         l
H       H repeated unit (polyethene)

H       H
 l         l --- C ---- C ---
 l         l
H       H polymer (polyethene) *put the whole thing in brackets when drawing the polymer with an 'n' in the bottom right outside the bracket*

Question 4

how to draw the repeated unit of an addition poly(propene)

Answer 4

H CH3
l l
C = C
l l
H H
monomer (propene)

H CH3
l l
– C —- C –
l l
H H
repeated unit (polypropene)

H CH3
l l
– C —- C –
l l
H H
polymer (polypropene) put the whole thing in brackets when drawing the polymer with an ‘n’ in the bottom right outside the bracket

Question 5

how to draw the repeated unit of an addition poly(chloroethene)

Answer 5

H Cl
l l
C = C
l l
H H
monomer (chloroethene)

H Cl
l l
– C — C –
l l
H H
repeated unit (polychloroethene)

H Cl
l l
– C — C –
l l
H H
polymer (polychloroethene) put the whole thing in brackets when drawing the polymer with an ‘n’ in the bottom right outside the bracket

Question 6

how to draw the repeated unit of an addition poly(tetreflouroethene)

Answer 6

F F
l l
C = C
l l
F F
monomer (tetraflouroethene)

 F     F
  l     l ---- C - C ----
   l    l
  F    F repeated unit (polytetraflouroethene)

 F     F
  l     l ---- C - C ----
   l    l
  F    F polymer (polytetraflouroethene) *put the whole thing in brackets when drawing the polymer with an 'n' in the bottom right outside the bracket*

Question 7

how to deduce the structure of a monomer from a repeated unit

Answer 7

1. Remove the extending single bonds
2. Draw in a double bond

Question 8

what does inert mean

Answer 8

unreactive

Question 9

problems of disposing addition polymers

Answer 9

• polymers are inert (unreactive) as they have strong C-C bonds.
• this makes them non-biodegradeable. (cannot breakdown substances by microorganisms
• if burnt the addition polymers could produce toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen chloride.