Term: polymer cyclization https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.PT07143 Definition: Chemical reaction that leads to the formation of ring structures in or from polymer chains. Notes: 0) Examples of @C01494@ along polymer chains are: (a) @C01494@ of polyacrylonitrile, (b) acetalization of poly(vinyl alcohol) with an aldehyde, (c) @C01494@ of polymers of conjugated @D01699@, such as polyisoprene or polybutadiene, leading to macrocycles. 1) Examples of @C01494@ of polymer molecules are: (a) @C01494@ of poly(dimethylsiloxane), (b) back-biting reaction during ionic polymerizations of heterocyclic monomers. Related Terms: 1) cyclization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01494). 2) dienes (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01699). Source: PAC, 2004, 76, 889. 'Definitions of terms relating to reactions of polymers and to functional polymeric materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2003)' on page 893 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200476040889) Citation: 'polymer cyclization' 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.PT07143 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.