Use of the Pauson–Khand reaction products as monomers in the palladium(II)‐catalyzed homopolymerization and copolymerization of norbornene derivatives

New norbornene derivatives synthesized from Pauson–Khand reaction products were homopolymerized and copolymerized with norbornene with an allyl–palladium complex as a catalyst. The ketone group was tolerated by the polymerization reaction. Monomers bearing protected alcohols were easily homopolymerized. Most of the homopolymers were soluble in tetrahydrofuran, CH₂Cl₂, toluene, and cyclohexane. As the steric bulkiness of the substituent increased, the chain length of the homopolymer decreased. Copolymers with a molecular weight of up to 153,800 were formed and were soluble in tetrahydrofuran, CH₂Cl₂, toluene, and diethyl ether. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 76–83, 2003