Oxidation of Polyisoprene Popcorn Polymer. III. Further Studies on Water and Carbon Dioxide Production

The volatile products resulting from polyisoprene popcorn polymer oxidation were analyzed quantitatively for carbon dioxide and water, and semiquantitatively for formaldehyde. The production of these three products was a linear function of the amount of oxygen consumed in the reaction. For every mole of oxygen reacted, 0.098 mole of water, 0.038 mole of carbon dioxide, and > 0.016 mole of formaldehyde were formed. Twenty-four products were detected after extensive oxidation; the major ones being water, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, formic acid, 2,5-hexanedione, and acetic acid. No levulin-aldehyde was identified in the products. A tentative oxidation mechanism is discussed.