Copolymerization of norbornene with methoxycarbonylnorbornene catalyzed by Ni{CF3C(O)CHC[N(naphthyl)]CH3}2/B(C6F5)3 catalytic system and good processability for Dry/Wet phase inversion and electrospinning technique

Copolymerization of norbornene (NB) with methoxycarbonylnorbornene (NB‐COOCH₃) was carried out with catalytic system of Ni{CF₃C(O)CHC[N(naphthyl)]CH₃}₂ and B(C₆F₅)₃ in toluene. The catalytic system exhibited higher activity 2.69 × 10⁵ (gpolymer/mol Ni h) for copolymerization of norbornene and methoxycarbonylnorbornene. The influence results of the comonomer feed content on the polymerization showed that the NB‐COOCH₃ has a very high insertion ratio in all copolymers, and the NB‐COOCH₃ content in copolymers can be controlled to be 7.9–77.6 mol % at content of 10–90 mol % of the NB‐COOCH₃ in the monomer feeds ratios. The reactivity ratios, r_NB‐COOCH3 = 0.578 and r_NB = 0.859, were determined by the Kelen–TÜdÕs method. Copolymers were processed by solution casting method, dry/wet phase inversion technique, and electrospinning. The films prepared by solution casting method showed good transparency in the visible region. The membranes processed by dry/wet phase inversion technique were microporous structures. The fibers diameters fabricated by electrospinning were about 3 μm. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011