Novel types of chain reactions in polymer degradation

The polymer chain environment in which polymer degradation reactions occur often confers to these reactions interesting new features which would not be predicted by direct comparison with the behavior of model compounds. In particular, reactions can involve rather novel types of chain mechanisms which may be radical or molecular processes. The nature of these reactions is illustrated by reference to the depolymerization of polymethacrylates, ester decomposition reactions in polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, and polymethacrylates, and the coloration reaction which occurs in polyacrylonitrile and polymethacrylonitrile.