Synthesis of stereoregular polymyrcenes using neodymium-, iron- and copper-based catalysts

β-Myrcene polymerization using catalysts derived from pyridyl-imino complexes of neodymium, iron, and copper. The resulting polymers exhibited high stereoregularity. Specifically, the neodymium-based catalyst yielded polymers with a high cis-1,4 configuration (≥97%), whereas the iron and copper catalysts produced a unique structure in stereospecific polymerization: predominantly alternating cis-1,4-alt-3,4 polymers with sequences of cis-1,4 units (five units) along the polymer chain. The polymers were subsequently subjected to structural, thermal, and mechanical characterization.