Linear homopolymer, property distribution

Figure 1 Property distribution in a linear homopolymer molecular weight distribution of polystyrene (styrene units represented by "A")-...

Along with the isomerism of linear copolymers due to various distributions of different monomeric units in their chains, other kinds of isomerisms are known. They can appear even in homopolymer molecules, provided several fashions exist for a monomer to enter in the polymer chain in the course of the synthesis. So, asymmetric monomeric units can be coupled in macromolecules according to "head-to-tail" or "head-to-head"—"tail-to-tail" type of arrangement. Apart from such a constitutional isomerism, stereoisomerism can be also inherent to some of the polymers. Isomers can sometimes substantially vary in performance properties that should be taken into account when choosing the kinetic model. The principal types of such an account are analogous to those considered in the foregoing. The only distinction consists in more extended definition of possible states of a stochastic process of conventional movement along a polymer chain. 

Anionic polymerization methods have been used to synthesize a wide variety of macromolecules including linear [1] and cyclic [2] homopolymers, linear copolymers [1], and functional polymers such as macromonomers [3]. These macromolecules are well defined with predetermined molar masses, sharp molar mass distributions, and low compositional heterogeneity. They serve as ideal compounds to establish the relation between the structure, the properties, and theory. 

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