= Chain transfer in chain polymerization
In <chain transfer in chain polymerization>, a growing chain can lose its <polymerization-active site> while another <molecule> acquires reactivity. In a common atom-transfer picture, the old chain becomes inactive and the new carrier can initiate further <chain-growth propagation>.<IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, fifth edition (Gold Book) by International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry>[chain transfer, C00963, definition and subsequent-polymerization example; source recommendation p. 1094]{ref} The number of reactive carriers can survive even though the identity of the growing chain changes. If the new carrier successfully starts a new chain, $C$ increases; a fixed active-carrier count therefore does not imply a fixed <polymer> <molecule> count. Whether transfer is irreversible, reversible, or involves an already existing chain matters for the final bookkeeping.
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