A method of making a methylene beta diketone monomer comprising: a) reacting a beta diketone reactant having the structural formula: with a source of formaldehyde at a reaction temperature of 60 °C to 130 °C, to form a reaction complex including oligomeric complexes having oligomers of 2 to 12 units; b) contacting the oligomeric complexes, or a portion thereof, with an energy transfer means at a temperature between 150 °C and about 300 °C for depolymerizing the oligomers and producing a vapor phase of the reaction complex including the methylene beta diketone monomer and vaporizing the resulting monomer; and c) isolating the methylene beta diketone monomer from the vapor phase of the reaction complex or portion thereof, wherein the methylene beta diketone monomer has the structural formula: wherein each instance of R 1 and R 2 are independently C 1 -C 15 alkyl, C 2 -C 15 alkenyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl or heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), or alkoxy -(C1-15 alkyl), each of which may be optionally substituted by C 1 -C 15 alkyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl, aryl -(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl, C 1 -C 15 alkoxy, C 1 -C 15 alkylthio, hydroxyl, nitro, azido, cyano, acyloxy, carboxy, or ester; or wherein R 1 and R 2 are taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to form a 5-7 membered heterocyclic ring which may be optionally substituted by C 1 -C 15 alkyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl, aryl -(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl, C 1 -C 15 alkoxy, C 1 -C 15 alkylthio, hydroxyl, nitro, azido, cyano, acyloxy, carboxy, or ester, wherein the oligomeric complex is substantially depolymerized and vaporized in a time period of less than 15 minutes. a) reacting a beta diketone reactant having the structural formula: with a source of formaldehyde at a reaction temperature of 60 °C to 130 °C, to form a reaction complex including oligomeric complexes having oligomers of 2 to 12 units; b) contacting the oligomeric complexes, or a portion thereof, with an energy transfer means at a temperature between 150 °C and about 300 °C for depolymerizing the oligomers and producing a vapor phase of the reaction complex including the methylene beta diketone monomer and vaporizing the resulting monomer; and c) isolating the methylene beta diketone monomer from the vapor phase of the reaction complex or portion thereof, wherein the methylene beta diketone monomer has the structural formula: wherein each instance of R 1 and R 2 are independently C 1 -C 15 alkyl, C 2 -C 15 alkenyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl or heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), or alkoxy -(C1-15 alkyl), each of which may be optionally substituted by C 1 -C 15 alkyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl, aryl -(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl, C 1 -C 15 alkoxy, C 1 -C 15 alkylthio, hydroxyl, nitro, azido, cyano, acyloxy, carboxy, or ester; or wherein R 1 and R 2 are taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to form a 5-7 membered heterocyclic ring which may be optionally substituted by C 1 -C 15 alkyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl, aryl -(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl, C 1 -C 15 alkoxy, C 1 -C 15 alkylthio, hydroxyl, nitro, azido, cyano, acyloxy, carboxy, or ester, wherein the oligomeric complex is substantially depolymerized and vaporized in a time period of less than 15 minutes. wherein each instance of R 1 and R 2 are independently C 1 -C 15 alkyl, C 2 -C 15 alkenyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl or heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), or alkoxy -(C1-15 alkyl), each of which may be optionally substituted by C 1 -C 15 alkyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl, aryl -(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl, C 1 -C 15 alkoxy, C 1 -C 15 alkylthio, hydroxyl, nitro, azido, cyano, acyloxy, carboxy, or ester; or wherein R 1 and R 2 are taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to form a 5-7 membered heterocyclic ring which may be optionally substituted by C 1 -C 15 alkyl, halo-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, halo-(C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl), heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), aryl, aryl -(C 1 -C 15 alkyl), heteroaryl, C 1 -C 15 alkoxy, C 1 -C 15 alkylthio, hydroxyl, nitro, azido, cyano, acyloxy, carboxy, or ester, wherein the oligomeric complex is substantially depolymerized and vaporized in a time period of less than 15 minutes.