Term: polycondensation
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04722

Definition:
A polymerization in which the growth of polymer chains proceeds by condensation reactions between molecules of all degrees of polymerization.

Notes:
0) 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.
1) 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'.

Related Terms:
1) degrees of polymerization (<em>in polymers</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01569).
2) polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04740).
3) condensative chain polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00958).
4) chains (<em>in polymers</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00946).

Source: PAC, 1996, 68, 2287. 'Glossary of basic terms in polymer science (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2307 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122287)

Citation: 'polycondensation' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04722

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