Application of infra-red digital subtraction techniques to the microstructure of polychloroprenes: 1. Accentuation and assignment of bands due to structural irregularities

Infra-red digital subtraction techniques have been employed to accentuate and assign the bands associated with the structural irregularities present in predominantly trans-1,4- polychloroprenes. The spectral contribution of the trans-1,4- configuration was removed from the spectra of polychloroprenes synthesized at different temperatures revealing contributions due to cis-1,4-, 1,2- and 3,4- structural irregularities. In addition bands associated with end-groups were also observed. The results demonstrate the potential of infra-red digital subtraction techniques to determine, both qualitatively and quantitatively, relatively small concentrations of structural irregularities in polychloroprenes.