posted on 2024-01-16, 15:35authored bySean R. Gitter, Ruojia Li, Andrew J. Boydston
Metal-free
ring-opening metathesis polymerization (MF-ROMP) is
an emerging polymerization strategy that provides access to ROMP materials
by using organic initiators and photoredox catalysts. Unlike metal-mediated
ROMP, MF-ROMP is not highly tolerant toward functionalized monomers.
Herein, we report that pentafluorophenyl esters are polymerizable
under MF-ROMP conditions to produce homopolymers, statistical copolymers,
and block copolymers. Amine coupling agents were then used to install
a range of functional groups via acyl substitution including alkynes,
amino acid derivatives, fluorophores, and redox active moieties. Overall,
these findings provide a framework to prepare functionalized ROMP
polymers without the risk of metal contamination.