Nickel-catalyzed polymerization of a substituted sulfoxonium ylide

The homopolymerization of (dimethylamino)phenylsulfoxonium ethylide, a substituted sulfoxonium ylide, is reported. Treatment of the monomer with a readily available Ni(II) catalyst afforded poly[(1-butene)-ran-(2-butene)-ran-(ethylene)] in good yield and high molecular weight. Varying the initial monomer-to-catalyst feed ratio enabled control over the molecular weights of the polymers produced. The polymerization mechanism appears to proceed in a chain growth fashion that entails the addition of ethylide units to growing polymer chains in conjunction with the expulsion of (dimethylamino)phenyl sulfoxide as a byproduct.

Automated summary

The homopolymerization of (dimethylamino)phenylsulfoxonium ethylide, a substituted sulfoxonium ylide, was reported to produce poly[(1-butene)-ran-(2-butene)-ran-(ethylene)] with good yield and high molecular weight using Ni(II) catalyst. Variation in the monomer-to-catalyst feed ratio allowed control over the molecular weights of the polymers produced. The polymerization mechanism involves chain growth with the addition of ethylide units to growing polymer chains and expulsion of (dimethylamino)phenyl sulfoxide as a byproduct.