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Polymers, Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA

Intermolecular Forces in Condensation Polymers

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 2 and 3

Overview

Why hydrogen bonding makes polyamides stronger than polyesters.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What type of intermolecular force exists between polyester chains?

Key term

Why are the intermolecular forces in polyamides stronger than those in polyesters?

Key term

What type of intermolecular force exists between polyamide chains?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What type of intermolecular force exists between polyester chains?

    Model answer

    Permanent dipole-dipole interactions (and van der Waals/London forces). Polyesters do not hydrogen bond because the ester link has no O-H or N-H hydrogen-bond donor; only polyamides (with N-H) form hydrogen bonds.

  2. 2

    What type of intermolecular force exists between polyamide chains?

    Model answer

    Hydrogen bonding (and permanent dipole-dipole forces)

  3. 3

    Why are the intermolecular forces in polyamides stronger than those in polyesters?

    Model answer

    Polyamides contain N-H groups which can act as hydrogen bond donors, so hydrogen bonds form between polyamide chains, whereas polyesters have no N-H or O-H groups and have only weaker permanent dipole-dipole and van der Waals forces

  4. 4

    What functional group in polyamides allows for hydrogen bonding?

    Model answer

    The amide link (containing C=O and N-H groups)

  5. 5

    What functional group in polyesters allows for intermolecular attractions?

    Model answer

    The ester link (containing C=O groups)

  6. 6

    How does the presence of N-H bonds in polyamides affect their intermolecular forces compared to polyesters?

    Model answer

    The N-H bonds in polyamides can act as hydrogen bond donors, enabling hydrogen bonding between chains, which polyesters cannot form because they lack N-H bonds

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