Macromolecules, Vol.53, No.18, 7803-7809, 2020
Efficient Synthesis of Geminal-Dialkyl Dienes for Olefin Metathesis Polymerization
A robust synthesis of gem-dialkyl acyclic diene monomers has been developed. This route is scalable, flexible, and bio-renewable, allowing for the production of a wide range of diene monomers of different lengths and different gem-dialkyl substitutions starting from unsaturated esters derived from seed oils. The metathesis polymerization of these monomers and the hydrogenation of the resulting polyolefins lead to telechelic gem-dialkyl polyethylenes, which can be used as elastomers in the synthesis of polyurethanes and other block polymers.