Question

1. What are the products of the reaction between Hexamethylenediamine and Adipic acid? Is this an addition or a condensation polymerization reaction?

2. What is the molecular weight of the repeating unit (formula unit) of Nylon 6,10?

3. Write Rx 1 (p.2) for n = 1 and consider the amounts of reagents used in the lab to determine

   LR and theoretical yield of Nylon 6,10 for this reaction.

4. (a) What is the by-product of the condensation reaction to produce Nylon 6,10 (using

   Hexamethylenediamine and Sebacoyl chloride)? (b) How much of this product (g) was

   produced in our experiment?

5. Why did we use sodium hydroxide in our lab? Write the chemical reaction NaOH

   participates in.

6. Besides small amounts of polymer, what chemical compounds were left in the beaker at the

   end of condensation reaction?

Answer 1

The products of the reaction between two monomers hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid results in the formation of a polymer Nylon 6,6 shown below:

It is a condensation polymerization reaction because of the production of by-products along with the polymer. As the two monomers hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid condenses (to form nylon 6,6) and water is removed.

The molecular weight of the repeating unit of nylon 6,10 is 282.43 g/mol and its structure is shown below:

The by-product of the condensation reaction of hexamethylene diamine and sebacoyl chloride is HCl, therefore to neutralise the acidic environment of the polymer nylon 6,10 NaOH should be added. As a result it reacts with HCl to form H₂O.

  

The limiting reagent(LR) is sebacoyl chloride and the theoritical yield calculations for nylon 6,10 are shown below:

At the end of the polymerization reaction the chemical compounds left in the beaker includes all the by-products formed during the course of the reaction.