| Abstract: | The role of the back-biting reaction for generation of dimers and trimers on flash pyrolysis of poly(styrene-co-methacrylonitrile) by pyrolysis gas chromatography with the use of a Curie-point pyrolyzer has been investigated. Yields of each monomer, dimer, and trimer changed depending on the sequence distribution as well as on copolymer composition and pyrolysis temperature. The degradation behavior was explained by the competition between the back-biting reaction and depolymerization. It was found that the hybrid dimers and trimers were produced mainly by the back-biting reaction, which was followed by β-scission, and hence yields of hybrid dimers and trimers correctly reflect the sequence distribution of the copolymer of styrene and methacrylonitrile without interference from the second reaction of monomers regenerated in the flash pyrolysis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2747–2753, 1999 |
