My life with polymer science

AbstractThis article describes the scientific investigations and accomplishments in the life of the author. After a dissertation on steroids, several years were spent on alkaloids and research on heterocyclic compounds. Much of the author's career was devoted to research on aldehyde polymerization, the discovery of the polymerization of higher aldehydes and their isotactic polymers, and haloaldehyde polymerization. The latter led to our work on the ceiling temperature of polymerization, on new polymerization techniques [involving the ceiling temperature and the concept of macromolecular asymmetry (polymer helicity)], and the genesis of chloral polymerization. Another important period was devoted to functional polymers, polymeric stabilizers, and polymeric drugs. Other research activities included studies of unusual polymers, head‐to‐head polymers, spacer groups in polymers, and oriental lacquers. Attention was also paid to the use of novel and unusual polymer intermediates, polymerization under extreme conditions and the preparation and behavior of uncommon polymer structures. Finally, it was recognized that macromolecules can be categorized with increasing frequency as polymers with broad and narrow molecular weight distributions and uniform polymers. The ultimate unity is isotopically pure uniform polymers, single macromolecular species. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 795–818, 2004