Macromolecules with groups of high reactivity

Abstract

AbstractReactions on the reactive groups of macromolecular substances (e.g., cellulose) have long been known, even since before the structures of macromolecules were understood. H. Staudinger carried out numerous reactions with macromolecules, maintaining the degree of polymerization constant, in order to substantiate the macromolecular structure of the substances investigated (polymeric‐analogous reactions). During the last fifteen years reactions with macromolecules have been investigated because it was desirable to compare the chemical diversity of low molecular weight compounds with the corresponding chemical diversity of macromolecular compounds. These endeavors bring forth materials which supplement the numerous macromolecular substances which are produced and used as materials for plastics, and therefore these materials should have as low reactivity and high stability as possible. Objectives are given for the preparation of macromolecules with a large variety of groups. From these objectives it is evident that, as in low molecular weight chemistry, macromolecular substances which possess functional groups of high reactivity are suitable as starting materials. Some of these which have been known for a long time but have been investigated only in recent years are polyaldehydes (polyacroleins and polymethylacroleins), polyacyl halides such as polyacryl chlorides and polyvinylsulfonyl chlorides and fluorides, and, most recently, polymeric organometallic compounds such as poly‐p‐lithiumstyrene. The reactions with these macromolecules are described and the properties of the resulting new polymeric substances are given.