University Chemistry ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 113-118.doi: 10.12461/PKU.DXHX202406102

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Barbier Polymerization: A New Teaching Case for Step-Growth Polymerization

Xiaoli Sun1, Xiang Wu2, Li Gan1, Wenming Wan1   

  1. 1 Engineering Research Center of Polymer Green Recycling of Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China;
    2 College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
  • Received:2024-06-25 Accepted:2024-09-18 Published:2025-04-25
  • Contact: Wenming Wan E-mail:wanwenming@fjnu.edu.cn

Abstract: In the teaching of undergraduate Polymer Chemistry courses, polycondensation is commonly used as a teaching case of step-growth polymerization. While there is a close relationship between polycondensation and step-growth polymerization, this approach may cause confusion between these two polymerization concepts. This article proposes a new teaching case for step-growth polymerization, i.e., Barbier polymerization. Unlike traditional step-growth polymerization cases based on condensation reaction, Barbier polymerization is based on addition reaction and exhibits the characteristics of step-growth polymerization. The introduction of Barbier polymerization as a new teaching case for step-growth polymerization can help students understand step-growth polymerization in depth and avoid confusions in the basic polymerization concepts of polycondensation and step-growth polymerization.

Key words: Polymer Chemistry, Step-Growth Polymerization, Barbier Reaction, Barbier Polymerization