Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization for precise synthesis of defect-free conjugated polymers with well-defined chain ends

Abstract

This accounts introduces unique characteristics by adopting the acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization for synthesis of conjugated polymers, poly(arylene vinylene)s, known as promising molecular electronics. The method is more suitable than the other methods in terms of atom efficiency affording defect-free, stereo-regular (exclusive trans) polymers with well-defined chain ends; the resultant polymers possess better property than those prepared by the conventional methods. The chain ends (vinyl group) in the resultant polymer prepared by ruthenium-carbene catalyst(s) can be modified by treating with molybdenum-alkylidene complex (olefin metathesis) followed by addition of various aldehyde (Wittig type cleavage), affording the end-functionalized polymers exclusively. An introduction of initiating fragment, the other conjugated segment, and one-pot synthesis of end-functionalized block copolymers, star shape polymers can be achieved by adopting this methodology.