Application of carbon arc‐generated Mo‐ and W‐based catalyst systems to the ROMP of norbornene

Abstract

Abstract This study focuses on the application of the carbon arc‐generated molybdenum‐ and tungsten‐based catalyst systems, MoCl 5 C and WCl 6 C, to effect ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene (norbornene). The results are compared with those previously obtained by the electrochemically generated MoCl 5 ēAlCH 2 Cl 2 and WCl 6 ēAlCH 2 Cl 2 systems. The polymer products are characterized using 1 H and 13 C NMR, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis. According to NMR spectra analyses, the molybdenum‐based catalyst system produced polynorbornene with ca 48% cis structure whereas tungsten system produced ca 56% cis structure polynorbornene and in both cases the polynorbornene had a blocky distribution. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.