Ring-Opening Polymerization of Heterocycles with Palladium Insertion Catalysts: Observation of a Multifunctional Polymerization Initiator

Abstract

The palladium insertion polymerization catalysts (bipy)Pd(CH3)L+OTf- have been found to mediate a second class of polymerization reaction: the ring-opening polymerization of heterocycles. Unlike traditional cationic ring-opening processes, this polymerization is found to proceed via an unusual series of metal-based reactions, including novel steps which allow the coupling of insertion monomers (CO and norbornene) with ring-opened polymers.