SynopsisThe decoupled a-proton spectrum of PVC was examined using a 220 MHz NMR spectrometer. All of the ten possible pentads were detected and an assignment is given based on Bernoullian statistics. This assignment is in general agreement with conclusions reached by previous workers except for some modifications in the heterotactic resonances. Triad tacticity data were obtained from the pentads and were used to estimate the differential enthalpy and entropy changes for bulk PVC polymerized in the temperature range 70°C to -50°C.
THEORY
Chain Sequence StereoregularityWhen a vinyl chloride monomer unit adds on to a growing chain during freeradical polymerization in a tail-to-head fashion, the carbon-carbon bond of this molecule still rotates even after the molecule tail (CH2-) has been attached. The chlorine atom assumes different spatial positions due to this rotation, and its configuration relative to the rest of the chain is undefined until the next monomer unit adds on. When this happens, the configuration of that particular chlorine atom is fixed. Whether there is or there is not any influence of this configuration on the configuration of the next chlorine atom is a matter of the statistical pattern of addition. Basically, there are two possible configurations for the chlorine atom. If it lies to the same side of the zigzag chain as the preceding chlorine, an isotactic placement has occurred. If it lies opposite to the preceding one, a syndiotactic placement has occurred. Subsequent additions may result in the same configuration or a switch can take place. Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the possible configurations that result from the stepwise addition of four monomer units. Sequences made up of two monomer units are called diads, those of three units are called triads, four monomer units are called tetrads, five are called pentads, and so on. As shown in the figure in triads and higher sequences, we can define a third configuration called heterotactic. This may not be called heterotactic placement. There are only two possible placements, i.e., isotactic and syndiotactic and that is strictly correct for diads. For higher sequences, the word configuration should be used rather than placement. At the bottom of the figure, the possible number of each of the three configurations is shown and also the total number of configurations possible for any sequence length. Thus, there are two diads, three triad configurations, six tetrads, and ten pentads. It'should be noted