| Abstract: | The evidence for a radical elimination of hydrogen chloride during the thermal degradation of homopolymers and copolymers of vinylidene chloride is summarized and confirmed by an ESR spectroscopic study of the degradation residues. However, sufficient differences in the degradation characteristics exist between these polymers and those of vinyl chloride to suggest that a radical process alone is not sufficient. No evidence of a radical process can be obtained from an ESR spectroscopic analysis of the elimination. The paramagnetic character of the degraded polymer is attributed to the polyene structure produced on dehydrochlorination. |
