Photoredox-mediated ring-opening metathesis polymerization (PhotoROMP) is a novel method for the preparation of ROMP polymers. As opposed to metal-mediated ROMP, which requires metal initiators, PhotoROMP utilizes organic photo-oxidants and vinyl ether initiators. In a recent study, a variety of pyrylium and thiopyrylium photo-oxidants were evaluated, demonstrating that milder photo-oxidants achieved higher conversions, and that thiopyrylium salts generally out-performed pyrylium salts. Further studies showed that polyolefins with polar functionality, such as protected alcohols and halides, can be prepared via PhotoROMP. This functionality could be leveraged for post-polymerization processing and functionalization. An evaluation of the stereochemistry of these polymers demonstrated that they are atactic, with roughly 75% trans olefin content. Ongoing work will probe the scalability of this reaction via flow chemistry. The polymer produced will be injection molded and the mechanical properties of PhotoROMP polymers and copolymers will be determined.

Photoredox-mediated ring-opening metathesis polymerization: Methods, scope, and scalability

255th National Meeting (2018)

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