Polyhomologation: Synthesis of Novel Polymethylene Architectures by a Living Polymerization of Dimethylsulfoxonium Methylide

Abstract

Not conventional polymerization of ethylene, but rather the title reaction has allowed access to the ω-functionalized tertiary polymethylene alcohols 1. The ylide CH₂ SOMe₂ is the methylene source in this living polymerization, and the chain length can be set by the initial ratio of ylide to organoborane.