polycondensation

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04722
A polymerization in which the growth of polymer chains proceeds by condensation reactions between molecules of all degrees of polymerization.
Notes:
  1. The growth steps are expressed by: \[\text{P}_{x} + \text{P}_{y}\rightarrow \text{P}_{x + y} + L\hspace{35pt} \{x\}\in \{1,2, \dots \infty\}; \{y\}\in \{1,2, \dots \infty \}\] where Px and Py denote chains of @D01569@ x and y, respectively, and L a low-molar-mass by-product.
  2. The earlier term 'polycondensation' was synonymous with 'condensation @P04740@'. It should be noted that the current definitions of polycondensation and @C00958@ were both embraced by the earlier term 'polycondensation'.
Source:
PAC, 1996, 68, 2287. 'Glossary of basic terms in polymer science (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2307 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122287)