HISTORY
OF MACROMOLECULAR NOMENCLATURE AND TERMINOLOGY IN IUPAC
By
Máximo Barón, Norbert
Bikales, Bob Fox
and Bill Work
From the 1920s, as polymer science developed and came
of age, so too a common language came into being through the efforts
of individuals who recognized the need for such a language. They formed
committees to consider issues that included not only systematic nomenclature,
but terminology and definitions, symbols, and other matters that might
affect communication. All of this effort forms a part of the prehistory
of the work of Division IV on macromolecular nomenclature and terminology.
SUBCOMMISSION ON NOMENCLATURE
The first publication of the IUPAC in the area of macromolecular
nomenclature was in 1952 by the Subcommission on Nomenclature of the
then IUPAC Commission on Macromolecules, which drew on the talents
of such remarkable individuals as J. J. Hermans, M. L. Huggins, O.
Kratky, and H. F. Mark. That report (1) was a
landmark in that, for the first time, it systematized the naming of
macromolecules and certain symbols and terms commonly used in polymer
science. It introduced the use of parentheses in source-based polymer
names when the monomer from which the polymer is derived consists
of more than one word, a practice that is now widely followed, and
it recommended an entirely new way of naming polymers based on their
structure that included the suffix "amer", a recommendation that has
been almost totally ignored. After ten years, the Subcommission issued
its second report (2), which dealt with the then-burgeoning
field of stereoregular polymers. A revision (3)
of definitions in the original report appeared four years later. In
1968, a summary report (4) of the activities of
the Subcommission was published.
COMMISSION ON MACROMOLECULAR NOMENCLATURE
(COMMISSION IV.1)
In 1968, the Commission on Macromolecular Nomenclature of the Macromolecular
Division (Division IV) was established under the Chairmanship of K.
L. Loening with first L. C. Cross and later R. B. Fox as Secretary.
A series of major documents was produced that shaped modern polymer
language. Most noteworthy was one that defined basic terms (5,6)
and another on structure-based nomenclature for regular single-strand
polymers (7,8). The latter, originally developed
by the Nomenclature Committee of the Polymer Division of the American
Chemical Society and refined by the Commission, revolutionized polymer
nomenclature by providing a systematic, consistent scheme particularly
well-adapted to indexing; it became the standard for Chemical Abstracts
and major polymer journals throughout the world. A list of standard
abbreviations was published (9-11) and later revised
(12).
As the 1970s came to a close, A. D. Jenkins assumed the
Chairmanship, with R. B. Fox continuing as Secretary through 1979,
to be succeeded by N. M. Bikales, who served as Secretary until 1987.
There followed in the 1980s a complete revision of the stereochemical
definitions (13,14), terminology for molar masses
in polymer science (15), an extension of structure-based
nomenclature to inorganic and coordination polymers (16,17),
the systemization of source-based nomenclature for copolymers (18)
and key documents dealing with physicochemical terminology in the
polymer field, covering definitions for individual macromolecules,
their assemblies, and dilute solutions (19),
crystalline polymers (20), a new method of classifying
polymers (21) and a basic classification and
definitions of polymerization reactions (22).
These documents were completed under the Chairmanship of P. Kratochvíl,
who assumed those duties in 1985; W. J. Work was elected Secretary
in 1987. In 1991, the first edition of the Purple Book (the Compendium
of Macromolecular Nomenclature) (23) was published.
The Compendium was the first major compilation of the Commission and
consisted of an introduction to macromolecular nomenclature and nine
chapters corresponding to the then valid IUPAC recommendations.
The final decade of the century saw the activity of the
Commission unabated. R. F. T. Stepto succeeded to the Chairmanship
in 1991, and he, in turn, was succeeded by M. Hess in 2000. M. Barón
became Secretary in 1998. Graphical representation of polymer structures
was addressed for the first time in 1994 (24).
In the course of this decade, a revised and enlarged glossary of basic
terms (25) was published, along with definitive
documents dealing with the terminology of polymer aging and degradation
(26) and non-ultimate mechanical properties (27);
terminology concerned with liquid-crystal polymers was also published
(28,29). In the field of structure-based nomenclature,
the Commission published recommendations covering regular double-strand
polymers (30) and irregular single-strand polymers
(31), and a revision of the Commission's 1975
rules for structure-based nomenclature (8) was
completed (32). In 1997, a document concerned
with a new area, source-based nomenclature for nonlinear macromolecules
and macromolecular assemblies (33), was published.
A document on definitions relating to stereochemically asymmetric
polymerizations (34) was prepared in 2000 and
a document on source-based generic nomenclature for macromolecules
(35) was published in 2001.
As the century drew to a close, the Commission had formed
active Working Parties considering many new aspects of polymer science.
In various stages of preparation were documents concerned with the
terminology or nomenclature of polymer composites and blends, inorganic
composites, hyperbranched macromolecules, and cyclic macromolecules
(including macromolecular rotaxanes and catenanes). Definitions in
the fields of kinetics and thermodynamics of polymerization, and polymerization
processes and polymers in dispersed systems were under consideration.
A general guide to polymer terminology and nomenclature and a document
on polymer class names (36) were nearly complete.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON MACROMOLECULAR TERMINOLOGY
With effect from 1st January, 2002, the Bureau and Council of the
IUPAC decided to form a new Division
of Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation (Division
VIII) to deal with nomenclature in an integrated manner across all
branches of chemistry. In keeping with this change and the change
of the IUPAC to project-based funding, the Commission on Macromolecular
Nomenclature decided to become the Subcommittee on Macromolecular
Terminology of Division IV. The development was timely as it reflected
the change in the emphasis of the work the Commission was carrying
out. Over the last decade, under the chairmanship of R. F. T. Stepto
and M. Hess, the majority of projects had been concerned with terminology,
related particularly to polymer and polymer-based materials. However,
the Subcommittee also continues to work on macromolecular nomenclature
in collaboration with the new Division VIII. With the current feasibility
studies underway and the projects due to be completed, it may be expected
that the next decade and beyond will see a continued proliferation
of recommendations dedicated to the improvement of communications
in polymer science.
TRANSLATIONS OF NOMENCLATURE AND TERMINOLOGY
RECOMMENDATIONS
Although the nomenclature and terminology recommendations have all
been published in English, those involved have purposefully pursued
their further dissemination and discussion in other languages, including
Chinese, Croatian, Czech, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish,
Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Over the years, there has been no
doubt about the global influence of the recommendations on the language
of chemistry. A list of translations can be obtained from <http://www.iupac.org/divisions/IV/compendium.html>
September 2002
References:
[1] Report on Nomenclature in the Field
of Macromolecules. J. Polym. Sci. 8, 257- 277 (1952).
(now obsolete)
[2] Report on Nomenclature Dealing with Steric
Regularity in High Polymers. J. Polym. Sci. 56, 153-161
(1962). (superseded by ref. 14)
[3] Report on Nomenclature Dealing with Steric
Regularity in High Polymers. Pure Appl. Chem. 12, 645-656
(1966); Macromol. Chem. 82, 1-15 (1965). (superseded
by ref. 14)
[4] Report of the Committee (sic Subcommission)
on Nomenclature of the International Commission on Macromolecules.
J. Polym. Sci., Part B 6, 257-260 (1968). (now obsolete)
[5] Basic Definitions of Terms Relating to Polymers.
IUPAC Inf. Bull. Append. No. 13 (1971). (superseded by ref.
25)
[6] Basic Definitions of Terms Relating to Polymers
1974. Pure Appl. Chem. 40, 477-491 (1974). (superseded
by ref. 25)
[7] Nomenclature of Regular Single-Strand Organic
Polymers. IUPAC Inf. Bull. Append. No. 29, (1972); Macromolecules
6, 149-158 (1973); J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Lett. Ed.
11, 389-414 (1973). (superseded by ref. 32)
[8] Nomenclature of Regular Single-Strand Organic
Polymers (rules approved 1975). Pure Appl. Chem. 48,
373-385 (1976). (superseded by ref. 32)
[9] Recommendations for Abbreviations of Terms
Relating to Plastics and Elastomers. Pure Appl. Chem. 18,
581-589 (1969). (now obsolete)
[10] List of Abbreviations for Synthetic Polymers
and Polymer Materials. IUPAC Inf. Bull. Append. No. 12, (1971).
(superseded by ref. 12)
[11] List of Standard Abbreviations (Symbols)
for Synthetic Polymers and Polymer Materials 1974. Pure Appl. Chem.
40, 473-476 (1974). (superseded by ref. 12)
[12] Use of Abbreviations for Names of Polymer
Substances (IUPAC Recommendations 1986). Pure Appl. Chem. 59,
691-693 (1987).
[13] Stereochemical Definitions and Notations
Relating to Polymers (provisional). Pure Appl. Chem. 51,
1101-1121 (1979). (superseded by ref. 14)
[14] Stereochemical Definitions and Notations
Relating to Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 1980). Pure Appl. Chem.
53, 733-752 (1981). (see also ref. 34)
[15] Note on the Terminology of the Molar Masses
in Polymer Science. Macromol. Chem. 185, Appendix to No. 1
(1984); J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Lett. Ed. 22, 57 (1984);
J. Coll. Interface. Sci. 101, 277 (1984); J. Macromol.
Sci., Chem. A21, 903-904 (1984); Br. Polym. J. 17,
92 (1985).
[16] Nomenclature for Regular Single Strand and
Quasi-Single-Strand Inorganic and Coordination Polymers (provisional).
Pure Appl. Chem. 53, 2883-2302 (1981). (superseded by
ref. 17)
[17] Nomenclature for Regular Single Strand and
Quasi-Single-Strand Inorganic and Coordination Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations
1984). Pure Appl. Chem. 57, 149-168 (1985). (see also
ref. 32)
[18] Source-Based Nomenclature for Copolymers
(IUPAC Recommendations 1985). Pure Appl. Chem. 57, 1427-1440
(1985).
[19] Definitions of Terms Relating to Individual
Macromolecules, their Assemblies, and Dilute Solutions (IUPAC Recommendations
1988). Pure Appl. Chem. 61, 211-241 (1989).
[20] Definitions of terms Relating to Crystalline
Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 1988). Pure Appl. Chem. 61,
769-785 (1989).
[21] A Classification of Linear Single-Strand
Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 1988). Pure Appl. Chem. 61,
243-254 (1989).
[22] Basic Classification and Definitions of Polymerization
Reactions (IUPAC Recommendations 1994). Pure Appl. Chem. 66,
2483-2486 (1994).
[23] Compendium
of Macromolecular Nomenclature, Blackwell Scientific Publications,
Oxford, 1991. (This compendium contains 9 chapters that are, respectively,
reprints of refs. 6, 14, 19, 20, 8, 17, 18, 21, and 12)
[24] Graphic Representations (Chemical Formulae)
of Macromolecules (IUPAC Recommendations 1994). Pure Appl. Chem.
66, 2469-2482 (1994).
[25] Glossary of Basic Terms in Polymer Science
(IUPAC Recommendations 1996). Pure
Appl. Chem.
68, 2287-2311 (1996).
[26] Definition of Terms Relating to Degradation,
Aging and Related Chemical Transformations of Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations
1996). Pure Appl. Chem. 68, 2313-2323 (1996).
[27] Definitions of Terms Relating to the Non-Ultimate
Mechanical Properties of Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 1997). Pure
Appl. Chem.
70, 701-754 (1998).
[28] Basic Definitions of Terms Relating to Low-Molar-Mass
and Polymer Liquid Crystals (IUPAC Recommendations 2001). Pure
Appl. Chem. 73,
845-895 (2001).
[29] Basic Definitions of Terms Relating to Polymer
Liquid Crystals (IUPAC Recommendations 2001). Pure
Appl. Chem. 74,
493-509 (2002).
[30] Nomenclature of Regular Double-Strand (Ladder
and Spiro) Organic Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 1993). Pure
Appl. Chem. 65, 1561-1580 (1993).
[31] Structure-Based Nomenclature for Irregular
Single-Strand Organic Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 1994). Pure
Appl. Chem. 66, 873-889 (1994).
[32] Nomenclature of Regular Single-Strand Organic
Polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 2001). Pure Appl. Chem. in
press.
[33] Source-Based Nomenclature for Non-Linear
Macromolecules and Macromolecular Assemblies (IUPAC Recommendations
1997). Pure Appl. Chem. 69, 2511-2521 (1997).
[34] Definitions Relating to Stereochemically
Asymmetric Polymerizations (IUPAC Recommendations 2001). Pure
Appl. Chem.
74, 915-922 (2002).
[35] Source-Based Generic Nomenclature for Macromolecules
(IUPAC Recommendations 2001). Pure Appl. Chem. 73, 1511-1519
(2001).
[36] Glossary of Class Names of Polymers Based
on their Chemical Structure and Molecular Architecture, in preparation.
