Synthesis of Highly Cis, Syndiotactic Polymers via Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization Using Ruthenium Metathesis Catalysts

Abstract

The first example of ruthenium-mediated ring-opening metathesis polymerization generating highly cis, highly tactic polymers is reported. While the cis content varied from 62 to >95% depending on the monomer structure, many of the polymers synthesized displayed high tacticity (>95%). Polymerization of an enantiomerically pure 2,3-dicarboalkoxynorbornadiene revealed a syndiotactic microstructure.