CONFORMATION OF POLYSTYRENE WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS TO THE NEAR ALL-TRANS EXTENDED-CHAIN MODEL RELEVANT IN POLYSTYRENE GELS

In the reported study the conformational possibilities were examined with particular reference to other conformational works published recently on this polymer. The specific objective was to ascertain whether highly extended, helical backbone geometries such as are required by the new x-ray patterns are possible or not with a purely isotactic arrangement of side groups. The first realization was that the recently announced low-energy, near-trans conformations are not relevant to the present issue as they do not provide the required extended geometry. Further, specific sampling of the conformational energy map revealed that the required high chain extension may be energetically feasible, contrary to traditional conceptions and to recent conformational calculations elsewhere. While the novel crystal structure has not been solved, the present study at least eliminates the previously believed categoric objections to it being associated with isotactic chains and, beyond this, opens up new perspectives as regards conformational possibilities in polyolefins.