Lecture, four hours; discussion, one hour; outside study, seven hours. Requisite: course C204 or C205. Fundamental concepts of polymer synthesis, including step-growth, chain growth (ionic, radical, metal catalyzed), and ring-opening, with focus on factors that can be used to control chain length, chain length distribution, and chain-end functionality, chain copolymerization, and stereochemistry in polymerizations. Presentation of applications of use of different polymerization techniques. Concepts of step-growth, chain-growth, ring-opening, and coordination polymerization, and effects of synthesis route on polymer properties. Lectures include both theory and practical issues demonstrated through examples. Concurrently scheduled with course C107. Letter grading.