Pyrolysis chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (Py-CI-MS/MS) was used to characterize a commercial segmented polyurethane. The polymer was found to decompose in two rather distinct stages. The first stage involves cleavage of the urethane linkage via NH transfer to form as volatile pyrolyzates 4,4′-methylenebis-(phenyl isocyanate), diol chain extenders (1,4-butanediol and 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol), and lower molecular weight hydroxyl-terminated tetramethylene glycol adipate (TMGA) oligomers. Higher molecular weight polyester (PTMGA) segments then decompose in a second, higher temperature stage to yield characteristic cyclic ester oligomers. Py-MS/MS was shown to be a very effective method for identifying individual species directly from the mixture of volatile pyrolyzates. © 1990.