Study of the interaction of polymeric polyenes and gaseous hydrogen halides

A study has been carried out into the interaction of hydrogen halide gases with the polyene systems present in thermally degraded poly(vinyl acetate). Highly coloured products were formed during a dark reaction at 20°C and experimental results indicated a continued deacetylation reaction catalysed by hydrogen halide. A mechanism, involving the double bonds of the polyene systems, has been put forward to explain these results.