Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer

A copolymer containing $-\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-\mathrm{CHCl}-$ and $-\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-\mathrm{CH}(\mathrm{OAc})-$ units. Hydrolysis changes the acetate side groups without requiring cleavage of the carbon backbone, provided competing degradation is controlled.

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.^[ref]