Transition metal-catalyzed tandem isomerization and cationic polymerization of allyl ethers. II. Structural and mechanistic studies

In the presence of organosilanes, dicobalt octacarbonyl catalyzes the polymerization of alkyl allyl ethers to give high molecular weight polymers. This article reports the results of a detailed mechanistic study of this new polymerization reaction. The evidence obtained in this study supports a stepwise process involving first, the reaction of dicobalt octacarbonyl with an organosilane to form HCo(CO)₄ and R₃SiCo(CO)₄. In subsequent steps, HCo(CO)₄ isomerizes the allyl ether to a 1-propenyl ether and then this compound is polymerized by the formal transfer of a silyl cation from R₃SiCo(CO)₄. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1985–1997, 1997