Nobonene-ester based addition polymer and method for preparing the same

A method for preparing norbornene-ester based monomers comprising more than 50 mol % of exo isomer, which comprises a step of carrying out a Diels-Alder reaction of dicyclopentadiene and ester compound at 180 to 260° C. for a duration of time in which the reaction quotient defined by the following Equation 1 ranges from 82,000 to 155,000:

• Reaction quotient=[reaction temperature (° C.)]2×log [reaction time (min)], [Equation 1]
• wherein the norbornene-ester based monomer prepared by the method is an ester of a norbornene based carboxylic acid.

A method for preparing an exo-rich norbornene-ester based addition polymer, which comprises:

• a) preparing norbornene-ester monomers comprising more than 50 mol % of exo isomer, wherein the norbornene-ester based monomer is the ester of a norbornene based carboxylic acid;
• and
• b) polymerizing the norbornene-ester based monomers prepared in step a) in solution phase in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Group X transition metal compound with an anionic ligand offering σ- and π-bonds to prepare an exo-rich norbornene-ester based addition polymer having a molecular weight (Mn) larger than 20,000 and comprising more than 50 mol % of exo isomer of the norbornene-ester based monomer repeating units.

An exo-rich norbornene-ester based addition polymer having a molecular weight (Mn) larger than 20,000 and comprising more than 50 mol % of exo isomer of the norbornene-ester based monomer repeating units, which is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:

• a) preparing norbornene-ester based monomers comprising more than 50 mol % of exo isomer, wherein the norbornene-ester based monomer is the ester of a norbornene based carboxylic acid;
• and
• b) polymerizing the norbornene-ester based monomers prepared by the step a) in solution phase in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Group X transition metal compound with an anionic ligand offering σ- and π-bonds.