Organo-copper reagents for attaching perfluorosulfonic acid groups to polyolefins

A method of forming an ion conducting polymeric membrane for fuel cells, the method comprising:

• a) reacting a polymer having formula 1 with a compound having formula 2
• in the presence of an organocuprate compound to form a polymer having formula (3):
• wherein:
• X1, X2 are each independently a halogen;
• R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl;
• R4, R5 are each independently phenyl, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 alkyl ether, C1-C12 fluoroalkyl, C1-C12 fluoroalkyl ether, C7-C30 arylalkyl, C7-C30 phenylalkyl, C7-C12 aryl, —(CH2)r— or —(CF2)p—O—(CF2)q—;
• Z is hydrogen or a metal;
• n is a number from 10 to 500;
• and
• p, q, r are each independently an integer from 2 to 10;
• and
• b) forming a membrane from the polymer having formula (3).