Isotactic and Atactic Copolymerization of Styrene and Carbon Monoxide Using Cationic Palladium‐Phosphino(dihydrooxazole) Complexes. Preliminary Communication

Abstract

Abstract Cationic palladium complexes 2 containing coordinated phosphino(dihydrooxazole) ligands 1 give catalytic systems which allow the production of alternating styrene‐carbon monoxide copolymers. Depending on the symmetry of the ligand, the copolymers are produced either with a highly isotactic or with an essentially completely atactic microstructure. Termination of the polymeric chain is mainly due to a β‐H‐elimination reaction. Both linear (( E )‐PhCHCHCO) and branched (CH 2 C(Ph)CO) unsaturated end groups were identified.