7.3 Synthetic & naturally occurring polymers (Triple)

A polymer is a long chain molecule which is made by lots of smaller molecules joining together.

C=C bonds open up and many smaller molecules (monomers) join together to form a chain (a polymer). No other products are made. It is called an “addition polymerisation” reaction

Polyethene - plastic bags (Poly)tetrafluoroethene (PTFE) - teflon surfaces, for use in non-stick kitchenware (Poly)chloroethene (polyvinyl chloride, PVC) - water pipes

It is a smallest structure which, upon numerous translations, yields the structure of the polymer. In addition polymers: to draw it, take a monomer, change C=C to C-C and show additional single bonds extending away from these carbons.

It is a polymer made in condensation polymerisation.

In this reaction, many molecules join together; the polymer is formed, but also a small molecule is released, e.g. H2O, HCl.

Polyesters, e.g. terylene. Polyamides, e.g. Nylon.

An amide bond is similar to the ester bond, with O replaced by N, e.g. (C=O)-NH2 Just like an ester, it contains the C=O group.

It is an organic compound that contains both a carboxylic acid functionality (COOH) and an amine functional group (-NH2).

By numerous condensation polymerisation reactions; proteins are polymers made of amino acids (monomers).

Polypeptides are also made by condensation polymerisation of amino acids, but are shorter than proteins. One could think about proteins as a product of many polypeptide chains bonded together.

They are organic molecules made of C,H, and O. They are biologically relevant, e.g. starch and cellulose. Both of these are polymers made of glucose (other carbohydrate) monomers. Their structures differ in the way the glucose molecules are joined together.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a material that makes up chromosomes - cell structures that store genetic information. DNA is made of two polymer chains that are held together in a double helix. Each polymer chain can be made from 4 different monomers - nucleotides.