Synthesis and structure of a new polyalcohol

A new polyalcohol is prepared by reduction of the perfectly alternating eth ylene-carbon monoxide copolymer. The low melting temperature of this atacti c material (137 degreesC) is attributed to the 1,4-arrangement of the hydro xyl side groups. The different orientations of these slightly bulky groups with respect to the molecular plane give rise to less efficient packing of the chains in the crystal lattice. The reflections in the X-ray diffraction pattern are indexed on the basis of an orthorhombic lattice. The derived u nit cell dimension are a = 8.78 Angstrom, b = 5.47 Angstrom, and c = 7.47 A ngstrom, and the crystalline density (1.08 g/cm(3)) is significantly less t han the crystalline density of atactic poly(vinyl alcohol) (1.35 g/cm(3)), which has a 1,3-arrangement of the hydroxyl substituents. Solution cast pol yalcohol films could be drawn at 110 degreesC to a ratio of about 10; a ten sile strength of 0.5-0.6 GPa and a (maximum) tensile modulus of 11 Gpa are attained.