Synthesis and characterization of α-diamine palladium complexes and insight into hybridization effects of nitrogen donor atoms on norbornene (co)polymerizations

Hybridization effects of nitrogen donor atoms showed that the α-diamine palladium catalyst more easily produced highly active Pd²⁺cations for norbornene (co)polymerization.

Well-defined phosphino-phenolate neutral nickel(ii) catalysts for efficient (co)polymerization of norbornene and ethylene

With B(C₆F₅)₃as a singular cocatalyst, a series of phosphino-phenolate neutral nickel catalysts were found to be highly efficient for norbornene (co)polymerization. High molecular weight (co)polymers with good solubility in common organic solvents were obtained.

Bypassing the lack of reactivity of endo-substituted norbornenes with the catalytic rectification-insertion mechanism

The novel rectification–insertion mechanism for the polymerization of polar norbornenes: making alternating copolymers from a single monomer.

The catalytic 1,2-insertion polymerization of polar norbornenes (NBEs) leads to the formation of functional rigid macromolecules with exceptional thermal, optical and mechanical properties. However, this remarkable reaction is plagued by the low reactivity of the polar monomers, and most notably of those bearing a functional group in endo position. We have examined the polymerization mechanism of NBEs bearing one or two CO₂Me groups either in exo or endo position catalyzed by the so-called naked allyl Pd⁺ SbF₆^– catalyst (1). Although endo dimethyl ester of 5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (NBE(CO₂Me)₂) is polymerized by 1, two endo units are never inserted consecutively along the polymer chain. Indeed, 1 is a tandem catalyst which not only catalyzes the insertion of the monomer but also the isomerization of endo and exo isomers. Thus, the polymerization of endo monomers proceeds via a novel mechanism, coined rectification–insertion mechanism, whereby half of the endo monomers are rectified into exo ones prior insertion, leading to the formation of an alternating endo–exo copolymer using an endo only feedstock. With this mechanism, the lack of reactivity of endo norbornenes is bypassed, and the polymerization of predominantly endo polar NBEs bearing a variety of functionalities such as esters, imides, acids, aldehydes, alcohols, anhydrides, or alkyl bromides proceeds with catalyst loadings as low as 0.002 mol%.