The numerical evaluation of the composition of products in polymer analogous reactions

Abstract

AbstractIn chemical reactions of polymers the functional groups on the chains are gradually converted, and so the eventual structure of the products depends on the degree of conversion. The conversion of polymer analogous reactions is generally not complete, and so copolymers are formed from homopolymers (as well as from copolymers) by chemical transformations. The elementary analysis of products obtained by polymer analogous reactions gives useful information primarily on the conversions in the reactions. In a set of consecutive reactions the conversion in a given reaction depends on the degrees of conversion in the previous steps. In the numerical evaluation of analytical results mathematical formulae based on stoichiometric principles have been used. In some instances theoretical elementary compositions were computed on the basis of a known degree of conversion and the results compared with the measured values. The degrees of conversions in simultaneous polymer analogous reactions may be characterized by a matrix equation having the form Aa = c, where the values of a, a vector characterizing the conversion, may be computed from the elementary compositions and from the initial conditions. By a comparison of computed and measured values some conclusions on the direction of the reactions may be drawn.