Polymerization Catalysts for the Reversible Switching Between Vinyl Insertion and Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Michael R. Buchmeiser
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 226688656

The project goal is the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel transition metal-based initiators that allow for the controlled and multiple, reversible switching between two polyinsertion-based mechanisms, i.e. vinyl insertion (1-olefin) polymerization (VIP) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The entire process, i.e. the polymerization of cyclic olefins via both a VIP and ROMP-based mechanism shall be accomplished in the presence of acyclic olefins, e.g. ethylene or styrene. The extent of vinyl insertion polymerization and ROMP shall be governed by temperature. In combination with suitable monomers (ethylene, cyclopentene, cis-cyclooctene, norborn-2-ene, etc.) and reaction conditions, this will allow for the synthesis of unprecedented polymer structures, preferably with short unsaturated (olefinic) sequences. These will not only influence the physical properties of the resulting polymers (Tm, Tg, Youngs Modulus, ), but also allow for a broad spectrum of derivatization reactions, all to be carried out in form of post-polymerization reactions. In this context, we aim at dihalogenation, hydrohalogenation and epoxydation/dihydroxylation reactions as well as graft polymerizations, e.g., via controlled radical polymerization techniques such as atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and wish to study the properties of the resulting polymers. Finally, if applicable, the polymers shall also be subjected to basic spinning experiments.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants