1. Initiation and addition
As a practical matter,once one molecule has formed aminocaproic acid, by hydrolysis with water. caprolactam successively adds to this chain until a molecular weight between 8.000 (DP 71) and 14.000 (DP 124) is attained Thus, the hydrolysis portion of the initiation step is from 1 part in 70 to 1 pert in 124 The reaction is carried out under pressure and generally more than 95% of the monomer which will react under equilibrium conditions is formed into these short chains ring opening. addition, and condensation reactions may be regarded as concurrent in this stage