 Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-chemistry-course-of-the-year-3-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/paper-3/50/e/solution

Saponification cleaves the acetate ester side groups while the intended carbon backbone remains intact:

- C H_{2} - CH (OCOC H_{3}) - + O H^{-} ⟶ - C H_{2} - CH (OH) - + C H_{3} C O_{2}^{-} .

The ideal target C is therefore a vinyl chloride-vinyl alcohol copolymer, containing

- C H_{2} - CH (Cl) -

and

- C H_{2} - CH (OH) -

units in the original sequence positions. The carbon–oxygen bond to the backbone remains; hydrolysis removes the acetyl group from oxygen. Incomplete hydrolysis would leave a three-component population of chloride, acetate and alcohol units. New hydroxyl groups can strengthen adhesion and coating interactions through hydrogen bonds.

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