Alternating copolymerization of enantiomers of 1-methylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene by a metathesis catalyst

Abstract

Polymerization of racemic 1-methylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene(1) using ReCl₅ as catalyst yields an alternating ring-opened copolymer of the two enantiomers, with an all-cis, head-tail, syndiotactic structure as revealed by the ¹³C n.m.r. spectrum of the polymer and its hydrogenated product.