IGCSE CHEMISTRY

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
POLYMERS
 SYNTHETIC POLYMERS
• Man-made large molecules built up from small units
(monomers)

Types Of Sythetic Polymers:

• Addition Polymers Condensation Polymers

Polyethene Nylon
CONDENSATION POLYMERIZATION
• polymerization in which monomers react
with each other to form larger structural units
while releasing smaller molecules as a
byproduct such as H2O or H

Examples:
Nylon Terylene
 Uses of synthetic polymers
Plastics:
• Plastic​ ​bags
• Clingfilm
• Buckets,​ ​other​ ​plastic​ ​tools

Nylon
• Clothing.
• nets and ropes, tents.
• fishnet.

Terelyne

• largely used for making fabrics .

• used for making for making raincoats . (It does not absorb water and is very
strong)
• making conveyor belts .
​ FORMATION ​OF ​NYLON
(A ​POLYAMIDE)
A polyamide is formed
from:
• Di-carboxylic acid
reacting with a
monomer molecule
containing 2 amine
groups

Amide linkage
​ FORMATION ​OF ​TERYLENE
(A ​POLYESTER)
A polyester is formed
from
• Di carboxylic
acid​ ​reacting​ ​with​ ​a​ ​
monomer​ ​molecule​ ​
containing​ ​two​ ​alcoh
ol​ ​groups (diol)

Ester linkage
 POLLUTION PROBLEMS CAUSED BY
NON BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS
• Unable​ ​to​ ​biodegrade: ​because​ ​the​ ​polymers​ ​that​
​form​ ​these​ ​plastics​ ​are​ ​inert​ ​(unable​ ​to​ ​react)​ ​the
refore ​will​ ​remain on​ ​the​ ​ground for a long time

• They​ ​produce​ ​toxic​ ​gases​ ​when​ ​they​ ​are​ ​burned.

Carbon​ ​dioxide​ ​is​ ​also​ ​released​ ​which​ ​adds​ ​to​ ​glo
bal​ ​warming
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADDITION POLYMERISATION
AND CONDENSATION POLYMERISATION
• Addition​ ​polymerisation​ ​involves​ ​the​ ​removal​ ​of​ ​a​ ​C=C​ ​dou
ble​ ​bond​ ​to​ ​form​ ​a –C-C-
​ ​bond,​ ​i.e.​ ​it​ ​joins​ ​up​ ​unsaturated​ ​molecules​ ​to​ ​form​ ​a​ ​long​ ​
saturated molecule ●

• Condensation​ ​polymerisation​ ​involves​ ​the​ ​reaction​ ​of​ ​2​ ​diff

erent​ ​functional
groups​ ​to​ ​form​ ​one​ ​long​ ​molecule​ ​by​ ​the​ ​removal​ ​of​ ​a​ ​small​
​molecule,​ ​H​2​O
This​ ​means​ ​that​ ​there​ ​can​ ​be​ ​more​ ​than​ ​one​ ​monomer​ ​use
d​ ​in
condensation​ ​polymerisation​ ​(unlike​ ​addition​ ​which​ ​only​ ​us
es​ ​one)
 NATURAL POLYMERS

• Proteins
• Carbohydrates
 PROTEINS
• Have the same amide linkages as nylon but
with different units

Proteins Nylon
 HYDROLISIS OF PROTEINS TO AMINO
ACIDS
Hydrolysis: ​splitting​ ​up​ ​of​ ​a​ ​molecule​ ​using​ ​water

• Hydrolysis​ ​of​ ​polymers​ ​results​ ​in​ ​the​ ​formation​ ​o

f​ ​their​ ​monomers
In​ ​the​ ​case​ ​of​ ​proteins,​ ​when​ ​you​ ​add​ ​water​ ​to​ ​s
plit​ ​up​ ​this​ ​natural​ ​polymer,​ ​you
will​ ​get​ ​amino​ ​acids​ ​(​monomers​ ​of​ ​proteins)
 COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES
• Large number of sugar units joined by
condensation polymerization
 HYDROLYSIS OF COMPLEX
CARBOHYDRATES

• Complex​ ​carbohydrates​ ​can​ ​be​ ​broken​ ​down​ ​i

nto​ ​their
monomers​ ​(simple​ ​sugars)​ ​using​ ​water​ ​with​ ​ac
ids/enzymes
 FERMENATATION OF SIMPLE SUGERS

sugar​ ​(glucose)​ ​→​ ​ethanol​ ​+​ ​carbon​ ​dioxide

• conditions:​ ​yeast​ ​enzyme,​ ​around​ ​30°C,​ ​anaer
obic​ ​conditions​ ​(no​ ​oxygen)
 Usefulness of ​chromatography ​in separating and
identifying the products of hydrolysis of carbohydrates
and proteins
Chromatography​ ​is​ ​used​ ​to​ ​separate​ ​a​ ​mixture​ ​of​ ​molecules,​ ​therefore​ ​
when​ ​you
hydrolyse​ ​large​ ​molecules​ ​(polymers)​ ​like​ ​carbohydrates​ ​and​ ​proteins,​ ​
you​ ​are left​ ​with​ ​a​ ​mixture​ ​of​ ​their​ ​monomers

Thus,​ ​chromatography​ ​can​ ​be​ ​used​ ​to​ ​separate​ ​and​ ​identify​ ​these
monomers​ ​by​ ​their​ ​Rf​ ​values

sugars​ ​and​ ​amino​ ​acids​ ​will​ ​not​ ​produce​ ​visible​ ​spots,​ ​so​ ​once​ ​the
chromatogram​ ​is​ ​dry,​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​spray​ ​it​ ​with​ ​a​ ​locating​ ​agent
(Ninhydrin​ ​produces​ ​purple​ ​spots​ ​with​ ​amino​ ​acids​ ​and​ ​resorcinol​ ​mak
es coloured​ ​spots​ ​with​ ​sugars)
 END

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
POLYMERS