Question
Explain how does 1, 3-butadiene polymerize by different routes?
Solution
1,2-polymerization. 1, 3-butadiene can undergo polymerization at C1, and C2 to yield the polymeric product, polyvinyl polythene.
(ii) 1,4-polymerization. When the polymerization takes place at C1, and C4 of butadiene, an unbranched polymer is formed. A carbon bond at each of its carbons is substituted by different groups and hence exist either as trans-polybutadiene or cis-polybutadiene or a mixture as shown below:
R* + CH3 = CH–CH = CH2 → R–CH2–C*H–CH = CH2
(ii) 1,4-polymerization. When the polymerization takes place at C1, and C4 of butadiene, an unbranched polymer is formed. A carbon bond at each of its carbons is substituted by different groups and hence exist either as trans-polybutadiene or cis-polybutadiene or a mixture as shown below:
R* + CH3 = CH–CH = CH2 → R–CH2–C*H–CH = CH2
