identifying monomers in polymers

[soccerboi]

What strategies/ what do you look for to identify monomers in a polymer chain? Like how do you know when to split them into monomers?

[amilss]

i think by knowing the type of reaction the polymer undergoes to become a polymer in the first place

like if you know the monomers would participate in a condensation reaction, when drawing the monomer you just add the atoms from H2O back into place

[amilss]

actually just ignore that last post!


-just look for repeating patterns
-seperate them to form monomers
-add in missing atoms or bonds

[Hellrocks]

I think she means when you're given a section of a polymer and asked to identify monomers:
What you do is pick a point and then look across and see when is the next point of repetition. Add a double bond.

[Nobby]

I think she means when you're given a section of a polymer and asked to identify monomers:
What you do is pick a point and then look across and see when is the next point of repetition. Add a double bond.

It may not always be an addition polymer though; condensation polymers like DNA, proteins, polyesters, nylon etc don't have to have double bonds.

[jaydee]

and also polyesters don't always have double bonds too. I think the best way is to familiarise yourself with what functional groups undergo polymerisation. so for polyesters its -COOH and -OH, proteins its -NH2 and -COOH. best way is to probably look for repeating units and add in the O's and H's