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Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
Polar Thermoplastics with Tunable Physical Properties Enabled by the Stereoselective Copolymerization of Vinyl Ethers
Aaron J Teator1, Travis P Varner1, Paige E Jacky1
1Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.
Abstract:
A series of isotactic, semicrystalline vinyl ether copolymers (up to 94% meso diads) were synthesized using a chiral BINOL-based phosphoric acid in combination with a titanium Lewis acid. This stereoselective cationic polymerization enabled the systematic tuning of both glass transition (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) in copolymers derived from alkyl vinyl ethers (i.e., ethyl, butyl, isobutyl). Additionally, a vinyl ether comonomer bearing an acyl-protected alcohol was utilized as a platform for postfunctionalization. Copolymers containing the masked alcohols were shown to undergo deprotection and subsequent coupling with a desired acid chloride. Collectively, these results highlight the diverse material properties and expanded chemical space accessible through stereoselective cationic polymerization mediated by a chiral anion.
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