= Competing dehydrochlorination during copolymer saponification
Alkaline conditions that hydrolyse acetate side groups can also promote elimination from chlorinated backbone units. Dechlorination, unsaturation, changed solubility and possible subsequent cross-linking complicate isolation of an ideal <vinyl chloride-vinyl alcohol copolymer>. The competition is condition-dependent: analytical work used staged treatment and precipitation to restrain dehydrochlorination, so difficulty under generic conditions is not a proof that every hydroxyl-containing chloride copolymer is impossible.<Determination of vinyl acetate in vinyl chloride-acetate copolymers by Takanori Shimazaki and others>[Abstract and pp. 619–623: staged treatment, polymer precipitation and suppressed dehydrochlorination]{ref}
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