IUPAC polymer nomenclature

Polymer nomenclature usually applies to idealized representations meaning minor structural irregularities are ignored.

Alternatively, more explicit structure-based nomenclature can be used when the polymer structure is proven.

If the name is one word and has no locants, then the enclosing marks are not essential, but they should be used when there might be confusion, e.g., poly(chlorostyrene) is a polymer whereas polychlorostyrene might be a small, multi-substituted molecule.

For example, the source-based name poly(vinyloxirane) could correspond to either of the structures shown.

poly(vinylbenzenesulfonic acid)a a In accordance with IUPAC organic nomenclature, square brackets indicate the nature of the locant sites in fused ring systems.

The free-valence locants are written before the suffix, and they are cited clockwise from the lower left position as: lower-left, upper-left:upper-right, lower-right.

When they fit into the general pattern of systematic nomenclature, some traditional and trivial names for polymers in common usage, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, are retained.

For single-strand (co)polymers, a dash is drawn through the enclosing marks, e.g., poly[oxy(ethane-1,2-diyl)] shown below left.

For irregular polymers, the CUs are separated by slashes, and the dashes are drawn inside the enclosing marks.

End-groups are connected using additional dashes outside of the enclosing marks, e.g., α-methyl-ω-hydroxy-poly[oxirane-co-(methyloxirane)], shown below right.

[15] In the CAS system, the CRU is called a structural repeating unit (SRU).