Copolymerization of norbornene and functional norbornene monomers

A process for preparing a polymer composition comprising repeat units of the formula:

• [A]S— and —[B]T
• which comprises contacting norbornene or a subsituted norbornene of formula I
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• with one or more functional norbornene monomers selected from
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• wherein,
• R7a-b is independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, subsituted hydrocarbyl, fluoroalkyl;
• R8a-b is independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, fluoroalkyl, C(O)—R9 where R9 is hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl;
• R5a-b and R6a-z are each independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, halogen, halohydrocarbyl, R5a-b and R6a-b may be taken together to form a ring, and S and T represent the mole fraction of the respective monomer unit and sum to one with the proviso that T>0,
• in the presence of a transition metal complex of formula II:
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• wherein:
• M is nickel;
• D1, D2, and G collectively comprise therefor a monoanionic bidentate ligand;
• D1 and D2 are monodentate donors linked by a bridging group G, wherein at least one of D1 and D2 is ligated to the metal M by a nitrogen atom substituted by a 1-pyrrolyl or a substituted 1-pyrrolyl group;
• T is H, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, or other group capable of inserting an olefin;
• and
• L is an olefin or a neutral donor group capable of being displaced by an olefin;
• in addition, T and L may be taken together to form a π-allyl or π-benzyl group or other bidentate group.

A process for preparing a polymer composition comprising repeat units of the formula:

• [A]S— and —[B]T
• which comprises contacting norbornene or a subsituted norbornene of formula I
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• with one or more functional norbornene monomers selected from
• 42
• wherein,
• R7a-b is independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, subsituted hydrocarbyl, fluoroalkyl;
• R8a-b is independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, fluoroalkyl, C(O)—R9 where R9 is hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl;
• R5a-b and R6a-z are each independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, halogen, halohydrocarbyl, R5a-b and R6a-b may be taken together to form a ring, and S and T represent the mole fraction of the respective monomer unit and sum to one with the proviso that T>0,
• with the reaction product of Ni(COD)2 and tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane.

A process for preparing a polymer composition comprising repeat units of the formula:

• [A]S— and —[B]T
• which comprises contacting norbornene or a subsituted norbornene of formula I
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• with one or more functional norbornene monomers selected from
• 44
• wherein,
• R7a-b is independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, subsituted hydrocarbyl, fluoroalkyl;
• R8a-b is independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, fluoroalkyl, C(O)—R9 where R9 is hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl;
• R5a-b and R6a-z are each independently selected from H, hydrocarbyl, halogen, halohydrocarbyl, R5a-b and R6a-b may be taken together to form a ring, and S and T represent the mole fraction of the respective monomer unit and sum to one with the proviso that T>0,
• with the reaction product of a ligand from Set 3, Ni(COD)2 and tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane.
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