Crystalline sulfur-functionalized poly(α-olefin) synthesized by scandium-catalyzed coordination polymerization

Sulfur-functionalized poly(alpha-olefin) is an excellent building block for constructing topological and functional polymers but it has been utilized as an amorphous material up to now. Through a fundamental structure/property study that reveals the intriguing effects of the steric hindrance/electronic properties of the monomer, the spacer length between the sulfur atom and olefin group, and the stereoselectivity of the polymerization process on the crystalline performance of sulfur-functionalized poly(alpha-olefin), the first crystalline sulfur-functionalized poly(alpha-olefin) is reported. Combined with organoborate, an N-heterocyclic carbene ligated scandium trialkyl complex catalyzed monomers to produce a series of syndiotactic sulfur-functionalized poly(alpha-olefin)s (rrrr up to 0.95) which formed crystalline materials with a T-m of up to 91 degrees C.

Automated summary

Through a fundamental structure/property study, the effects of steric hindrance/electronic properties of the monomer, spacer length between sulfur atom and olefin group, and stereoselectivity of the polymerization process on the crystalline performance of sulfur-functionalized poly(alpha-olefin) were revealed. The first crystalline sulfur-functionalized poly(alpha-olefin) was reported, which formed crystalline materials with a high melting point.