A biodegradable polyamide can be made from
(a) glycine and isoprene
(b) hexamethylene diamine and ad

Q: Why is it called Nylon-2-nylon-6?

The numbers represent the number of carbon atoms in each monomer. Glycine has 2 carbon atoms, and aminocaproic acid has 6 carbon atoms.

Q: Is standard Nylon-6,6 also biodegradable?

No, standard Nylon-6,6 is not biodegradable. Nylon-2-nylon-6 is specially synthesized with amino acids to make it susceptible to enzymatic degradation.

Q: What type of polymerization is this?

It is a condensation (or step-growth) polymerization because a small molecule, water, is eliminated during the formation of the polymer chain.

Q: What exactly is an amide linkage?

An amide linkage is the $-\mathrm{C(=O)-NH-}$ bond formed when a carboxylic acid reacts with an amine, releasing water. It's the exact same bond that holds proteins together in our bodies!

Q: Why do both monomers need to be bifunctional?

For a polymer chain to grow continuously in both directions, each monomer must have at least two reactive functional groups. Here, both have an $-\mathrm{NH_2}$ and a $-\mathrm{COOH}$ group, allowing them to link endlessly.

Question

A biodegradable polyamide can be made from

Options:

(A) glycine and isoprene

(B) hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid

(C) glycine and aminocaproic acid

(D) styrene and caproic acid

Sigma Percentile · Accepted Answer

Imagine a world where plastics don't linger in landfills for centuries. This isn't just a dream; it's the reality of **biodegradable polymers**. In this problem, we are tasked with identifying the building blocks—the monomers—of a specific biodegradable polyamide.

### The Quest for Biodegradability
Most synthetic polymers, like standard polyethylene or PVC, are highly resistant to environmental degradation. However, by incorporating functional groups that are susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis (like ester or amide linkages), chemists can design polymers that nature can break down.

### Meet the Monomers
The correct answer to our question is the combination of **glycine** and **aminocaproic acid**. Let's look at them closely:

1. **Glycine** ($\mathrm{H_2N-CH_2-COOH}$): This is the simplest naturally occurring amino acid. It contains exactly two carbon atoms.

2. **Aminocaproic acid** ($\mathrm{H_2N-(CH_2)_5-COOH}$): This is a synthetic amino acid containing a straight chain of six carbon atoms.

Notice a pattern? Both molecules are **bifunctional**. They have an amino group ($-\mathrm{NH_2}$) at one end and a carboxylic acid group ($-\mathrm{COOH}$) at the other. This dual nature is the absolute key to forming a long polymer chain.

### The Magic of Condensation Polymerization
When these two monomers are heated together, a beautiful chemical dance begins. The hydroxyl ($-\mathrm{OH}$) group from the carboxylic acid of one monomer seeks out a hydrogen ($\mathrm{H}$) atom from the amino group of the other monomer.

When they meet, they combine to form a water molecule ($\mathrm{H_2O}$), which is eliminated from the system. Because a small molecule is lost during the reaction, this process is known as **condensation polymerization**.

### The Final Masterpiece: Nylon-2-nylon-6
With the water molecule gone, the carbon atom of the carboxylic group bonds directly to the nitrogen atom of the amino group. This forms a robust **amide linkage** ($-\mathrm{C(=O)-NH-}$).

As this process repeats millions of times, a massive polymer chain is born: **Nylon-2-nylon-6**.

The nomenclature is beautifully logical: the "2" honors the two carbons from glycine, and the "6" honors the six carbons from aminocaproic acid. Because it is built from amino acids, enzymes in the environment can recognize and cleave these amide bonds, making Nylon-2-nylon-6 a true champion of biodegradable plastics!

Animated Solution for Chemistry - Organic Chemistry: A biodegradable polyamide can be made from

Select Answer:

Visualized Solution

$Problem Orientation$

$Identifying the Monomers$

$Structure of Monomers$

$Condensation Reaction Setup$

$Elimination of Water$

$Formation of Amide Linkage$

$Final Polymer$

The Sigma Insight: Polymers

The Quest for Biodegradability Most synthetic polymers, like standard polyethylene or PVC, are highly resistant to environmental degradation

Meet the Monomers The correct answer to our question is the combination of glycine and aminocaproic acid

The Magic of Condensation Polymerization When these two monomers are heated together, a beautiful chemical dance begins

The Final Masterpiece

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