Electrochemically reduced tungsten‐based active species as catalysts for metathesis‐related reactions: ring‐opening metathesis copolymerization of cyclopentene with cyclooctene

The ring‐opened metathesis copolymerization of cyclopentene with cyclooctene by an electrochemically generated WCl₆‐based catalyst has been prepared and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy used to analyse in detail the nature of the homo‐ and hetero‐dyad units. This copolymer was characterized by gel‐permeation chromatography (M_n = 12 900, PDI= 2.2) and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The glass‐transition temperature T_g of the copolymer was ?18.7 °C. Homopolymerization of cyclopentene is also reported to compare with copolymers produced in this work. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.