Adv Polym Sci (2013) 258: 117–142
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_217
# Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 16 May 2013
Polyolefins with Cyclic Comonomers
Laura Boggioni and Incoronata Tritto
Abstract Highly active metallocenes and other single-site catalysts have opened
up the possibility to polymerize cycloolefins or to copolymerize them with ethene
or propene. The polymers obtained show interesting structures and properties. The
cycloolefins such as cyclopentene, norbornene, and their substituted derivatives are
incorporated into the polymer chain either by addition or metathesis. An overview
of copolymers obtained via addition copolymerization is here given. Materials with
elastomeric properties or tactic polymers with high glass transitions and melting
points can be obtained, depending on the wide range of different microstructures.
Cycloolefin copolymers and homo- and copolymers of norbornene, in particula, are
of great academic and industrial interest because of their properties and applications
in optoelectronics, lenses, and coatings.
Keywords Catalysis Á Cycloolefin copolymers Á Metallocene
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
2 Copolymers with Monocyclic Olefins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
3 Ethene–Norbornene Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
4 PropeneÀNorbornene Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
5 Copolymerization with Functionalized Norbornenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6 Other Cycloolefin Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
7 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 137
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
L. Boggioni and I. Tritto (*)
Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole (ISMAC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
(CNR), Via E. Bassini 15, 20133 Milano, Italy
e-mail: tritto@ismac.cnr.i
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_217
# Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 16 May 2013
Polyolefins with Cyclic Comonomers
Laura Boggioni and Incoronata Tritto
Abstract Highly active metallocenes and other single-site catalysts have opened
up the possibility to polymerize cycloolefins or to copolymerize them with ethene
or propene. The polymers obtained show interesting structures and properties. The
cycloolefins such as cyclopentene, norbornene, and their substituted derivatives are
incorporated into the polymer chain either by addition or metathesis. An overview
of copolymers obtained via addition copolymerization is here given. Materials with
elastomeric properties or tactic polymers with high glass transitions and melting
points can be obtained, depending on the wide range of different microstructures.
Cycloolefin copolymers and homo- and copolymers of norbornene, in particula, are
of great academic and industrial interest because of their properties and applications
in optoelectronics, lenses, and coatings.
Keywords Catalysis Á Cycloolefin copolymers Á Metallocene
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
2 Copolymers with Monocyclic Olefins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
3 Ethene–Norbornene Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
4 PropeneÀNorbornene Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
5 Copolymerization with Functionalized Norbornenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6 Other Cycloolefin Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
7 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 137
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
L. Boggioni and I. Tritto (*)
Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole (ISMAC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
(CNR), Via E. Bassini 15, 20133 Milano, Italy
e-mail: tritto@ismac.cnr.i