The comonomer inducing selective β-methyl elimination chain transfer:: A new approach for end-functionalizations of syndiotactic polypropylene-based copolymers

The end-functionalization of syndiotactic polypropylene-based copolymers can be accomplished by conducting propylene polymerization in the presence of norbornene using Me2C(Cp)(Flu)ZrCl2/MAO as the catalyst. The detailed structural analyses clearly reveal the occurrence of the beta-methyl elimination chain transfer reaction that leads to the generation of the ethenyl group end-capped syndiotactic polypropylene-based propylene-norbornene copolymer. Subsequently, the ethenyl group end-capped copolymer can be used for the preparation of other end-functionalized syndiotactic polypropylene-based copolymers by conducting organic functional group transformation reactions. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.