For information on how to identify, orient, and name structure-based
polymers, visit Macromolecular
Nomenclature Note No. 18, E. S. Wilks Nomenclature Committee,
ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry, Inc.
Overview
In the late 1960s, IUPAC formally established the Commission on
Macromolecular Nomenclature (Commission IV.1), which has since become
the leading nomenclature body in the polymer field; it is now superseded
by the Subcommittee on Macromolecular Terminolgy. This group promulgates
rules and definitions on polymer terminology and nomenclature.
The Subcommittee (sic Commission) has developed rules for
naming regular, single-strand organic and inorganic macromolecules,
copolymer molecules, irregular macromolecules, ladder and spiro
macromolecules, and nonlinear and network macromolecules. It has
developed rules for representing the structures of macromolecules.
It also works to standardize the terminology used in polymer science
and has developed definitions for the basic terms dealing with polymer
molecules, assemblies of polymer molecules and non-linear macromolecules,
polymer solutions, polymer crystals, types of polymerization, and
the degradation and aging, and mechanical behavior.
Since its beginning, this group has attracted the participation
of a number of scientists from academia, the publishing industry,
and the polymer industry.
The
Commission on Macromolecular Nomenclature (IV.1) was
discontinued in December 2001. The work of the Macromolecular
Division is now organized as projects.
The new Subcommittee also continues to work on nomenclature
in collaboration with the Chemical
Nomenclature and Structure Representation Division (VIII)