Transition metal acetylide catalysts for polymerization of polar alkynes

Abstract

A new series of single‐component air‐stable transition metal acetylide catalysts with the structures ML2(C≡CR)2 (M = Ni and Pd, L = PPh3 and PBu3, R = p‐C6H4C≡CH, C6H5, H, CH2OH, CH2OCOCH3, CH2OCOC6H5 and CH2OCOC6H4OH‐o) for polymerization of polar alkynes were developed. Transition metals, phosphine and alkynyl ligands and solvents exhibited significant influence on the polymerization. Propargyl alcohol could be polymerized with these catalysts under mild conditions to give soluble rich‐trans polymers with weight average molecular weights as high as 5.7 × 104 in yields as high as 79%.