Synthesis and gas separation properties of metathesis polynorbornenes with different positions of one or two SiMe3 groups in a monomer unit

Abstract

The metathesis polymerization of 5,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)norbornene, 2,3-bis(trimethylsilyl)norbornadiene, and exo,endo-3,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)tricyclo[4.2.1.02,5]non-7-ene with the catalysts WCl6/1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane, RuCl3/EtOH, and the Grubbs Ru-carbene complex Cl2(PCy3)2Ru=CHPh has been studied. New polymers with yields of up to 98% and M w = (2−39) × 105 are prepared. New metathesis copolymers of 5-trimethylsilylnorbonene with 5-(hydroxymethyl)norbornene and 5-(trimethylsiloxymethyl)norbornene are synthesized in the presence of the Cl2(PCy3)2Ru=CHPh catalyst with yields of 78 and 98%. The gas-permeability study of the above series of the metathesis polymers containing one or two Me3Si substituents in each monomer unit shows that the introduction of the second SiMe3 group markedly improves their transport characteristics. A change in the character of the backbone (polynorbornadiene, polytricyclononene) has a small effect on the permeability of the polymers. The metathesis polynorbornene with two vicinal SiMe3 groups exhibits higher gas-permeability coefficients than its isomer with germinal substituents. The homopolymer of 5-trimethylsilylnorbornene is characterized by better transport parameters than its copolymers with -OSiMe3 and -OH substituents.