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AQA GCSE · Question 08.5 · Organic chemistry
Many molecules of compound A join together to form polymer B.
Complete the displayed formula equation which represents this reaction.
Many molecules of compound A join together to form polymer B.
Complete the displayed formula equation which represents this reaction.
How to approach this question
This shows an addition polymerisation reaction.
1. Identify the monomer. It is an alkene derivative.
2. The reaction happens at the C=C double bond. This double bond breaks open.
3. Draw the repeating unit of the polymer. It will have the same atoms as the monomer, but the double bond between the two central carbons becomes a single bond.
4. Draw new single bonds extending out from these two carbons to the sides, to show that they link to other monomers.
5. Enclose the repeating unit in large brackets.
6. Add a subscript 'n' outside the brackets to show that the unit is repeated many times.
Full Answer
This is an example of addition polymerisation. It occurs with monomers that have a C=C double bond (alkenes).
1. **Initiation:** The process is started, often using high pressure, high temperature, and a catalyst.
2. **Propagation:** The double bond in one monomer molecule breaks open. One of the electrons from the double bond forms a new single covalent bond with an adjacent monomer molecule. This process repeats, adding more and more monomers to create a long chain.
3. **Drawing the Polymer:** To represent this on paper:
- Focus on the two carbon atoms that were part of the double bond.
- Change the C=C double bond in the monomer to a C-C single bond in the polymer.
- The other groups attached to these carbons (-H, -H, and the ester group) remain attached in the same way.
- Draw single bonds extending from each of these two carbons outwards, passing through the brackets. These represent the bonds linking to the next repeating units in the chain.
- Enclose the entire repeating unit in square brackets and write a subscript 'n' to signify a large number of repeating units.
Common mistakes
✗ Not breaking the double bond.
✗ Changing other parts of the molecule.
✗ Forgetting the brackets or the 'n'.
✗ Forgetting the continuation bonds that go outside the brackets.
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