until the reaction is complete. The reaction is driven to high polymer by the constant

flow of argon gas through the system, displacing the less dense gas of ethylene that is

being released in the reaction. The remaining monomers are polymerized in the bulk as

described in the experimental. Both the liquid and the solid monomers yield polymers

that are soluble in most organic solvents. These polycondensation polymers are called

olefins. This term describes the presence of alkenes in the polymer backbone. The

resultant olefin polymers (7-12) were analyzed by two-angle light scattering GPC and

DSC. The results are contained in Table 1. Of particular note, is the similarity between

the solvent-crystallized melts of polymers 1,2 and 6. The glycinol polymer (1) has no

side chain at all. This feature allows the chain greater freedom and flexibility of

conformation. The alaninol polymer (2) has a methyl group for its side chain. This

group does not appear to disrupt the crystallinity of the polymer. The solvent melt

temperature that is comparable to glycinol evidences this. The phenylalaninol polymer

(6) contains a benzyl side chain. The aromatic character of the phenyl ring produces a

stabilizing effect in the crystallization of the polymer. Conversely, polymers 3-5 have

lower solvent-crystallized melts because of the size of their side chains, isopropyl,

isobutyl, and sec-butyl respectively. These sterically large side chains disrupt the

crystallization of the polymer and therefore lower the melt transitions. This is especially

true for the leucinol polymer (10). This polymer can be described as very greasy in

nature and has no melt transition from the melt crystallization.