Method for introducing carbonyl groups into polymers containing double carbon-carbon linkages

22The invention discloses a method for selectively introducing carbonyl groups into polymers by oxygenation of double C═C bonds of polymers with the aid of nitrous oxide (NO) at a temperature comprised between 50 and 350° C. and a pressure of NO of from 0.01 to 100 atmospheres.The introduction of an insignificant amount of C═O groups allows one to modify the physico-chemical properties of a polymer, with its molecular weight and molecular-weight distribution preserved. Deeper oxygenation results in controlled cleavage of polymer macromolecules and makes it possible to produce oxygen-containing oligomers having a desired molecular weight.