End‐functionalization of isotactic polypropylene via consecutive chain transfer reaction to norbornadiene and hydrogen

Structurally well‐defined end functionalized isotactic polypropylene (iPP) is prepared by conducting a selective chain transfer reaction during the isospecific polymerization of propylene in the presence of norbornadiene (NBD) and hydrogen using rac‐Me₂Si(2‐Me‐4‐Ph‐Ind)₂ ZrCl₂/MAO as the catalyst. The production of NBD‐capped iPP involves a unique consecutive chain transfer reaction, first to NBD and then to hydrogen, for situating the incorporated NBD at the iPP chain end. The NBD end group of NBD‐capped iPP can be converted into other reactive functional group through functional group transformation reactions. The resulting functional group end‐capped iPP can be used for the construction of stereoregular block copolymers (e.g., iPP‐b‐PMMA and iPP‐b‐PS) through postpolymeriztion reactions. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011