The Structure of Synthetic Types of Rubber. Polychloroprenes

Abstract

Abstract Ozonization is one of the most successful and most exact methods for determining the structure of rubber. It was this method which was first used by Harries and his numerous collaborators for determining the structures of various types of natural and synthetic rubbers. By ozonizing solutions of natural rubber, Harries obtained ozonides, the decomposition of which yielded levulinic acid and levulinic aldehyde. This was proof that the combination of isoprene residues in the rubber molecule is in the 1,4-1,4 position, and it also showed the nature of the base molecules of rubber and the manner in which they are united in chain formation. On the other hand, these investigations did not give any decisive evidence as to whether the rubber molecule is an open chain or has a ring structure. At the beginning of his investigations in this field, Harries assigned to the hydrocarbon which is the fundamental constituent of the rubber molecule the following formula: