Zytel^®finds extensive use in the automotive and electronics industries. Zytel^® has the structure shown.

1. What functional group is contained in the Zytel^® structure?
2. Is Zytel^® a chain-growth polymer or a step-growth polymer?
3. Draw the products that would be formed if the polymer were completely hydrolyzed under acidic or basic conditions.

A polyurea is formed from an isocyanate reacting with a multifunctional amine. Polyurea reaction is much faster than the polyurethane one, and the systems can gel within few seconds after mixing. Zytel is a polyurea.

Zytel is a step-growth polymer and undergoes step-growth polymerisation in which formation of polymer occurs from bi-functional or multifunctional monomers. Step-growth polymerization does not require initiators and shows no termination.

Zytel when undergoes hydrolysis in acidic or basic conditions, forms diamine and carbon dioxide gas get released. Bond cleavage occurs between nitrogen and carbon bond which further results in the formation of products such as diamine and carbon dioxide which are formed due to the coupling reaction.

Formation of products when Zytel undergoes complete hydrolysis