Hyperbranched macromolecules via olefin metathesis

A facile route to hyperbranched polymers via acyclic diene metathesis is reported. Any molecule functionalized with two or more acrylate groups and one terminal olefin can serve as an AB, monomer when exposed to an imidazolinylidene-based ruthenium olefin metathesis catalyst, due to the cross metathesis selectivity of this catalyst. For the polymers obtained by this method, both H-1 NMR spectroscopy and triple detector size exclusion chromatography conclusively indicate a branched architecture.