The configuration about double bonds in alkene-containing polymers plays an outsized role in determining the thermal and mechanical properties. Despite the significance of this parameter, universal methods to modulate olefin stereochemistry in polymerizations are scarce. With the invention of Ru-based stereoretentive olefin metathesis catalysts, applications to stereocontrolled polymerizations, confined almost exclusively to ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), have grown tremendously. This talk will delve into the development of a stereocontrolled acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization of simple methyl- or ethyl-terminated dienes to rapidly access a broad library of polymers with varying cis:trans alkenes. The differences in thermal stability between the same polymers with differing ratios of cis:trans linkages will be outlined as well as the change in crystallinity between trans- and cis-rich polymers. The presentation will then close with ongoing developments in our lab to produce materials with controllable functionality through olefin metathesis.

Stereodefined polymers through olefin metathesis

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

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