A molecule of high
relative molecular mass, the structure of which essentially comprises the multiple repetition of units derived,
actually or conceptually, from molecules of low
relative molecular mass.
Notes:
-
In many cases, especially for synthetic polymers, a molecule can be regarded as having
a high relative molecular mass if the addition or removal of one or a few of the units has a negligible effect on
the molecular properties. This statement fails in the case of certain macromolecules
for which the properties may be critically dependent on fine details of the molecular
structure.
-
If a part or the whole of the molecule has a high relative molecular mass and essentially comprises the multiple repetition of units derived, actually or conceptually,
from molecules of low relative molecular mass, it may be described as either macromolecular or polymeric, or by polymer used adjectivally.
Source:
PAC, 1996, 68, 2287
(Glossary of basic terms in polymer science (IUPAC Recommendations 1996))
on page 2289