Block Copolymers with Pendant Metal-containing Groups

ROMP provided the first examples of block copolymers with pendant metal-containing groups. As discussed earlier, ROMP of substituted norbomenes has been used to prepare block copolymers with ferrocene side groups (see Section 2.2.1.2). 

The coordination of metals to various other pendant sites present in block co-polymers has also been explored. For example, metal coordination to the olefinic groups present in the polybutadiene (PB) blocks of polystyrene-/ -polybutadiene (PS-/ -PB) diblock and PS- -PB-3-PS triblock copolymers has been reported.This was achieved by the reaction of PS-/ -PB with various metal complexes such as Fe3(CO)i2, [Rh(/r-Cl)(CO)2]2, PdCl2(NCMe)2, and PtCl2(NCMe)2 to afford materials with Fe-, Rh-, Pd-, and Pt-containing blocks. Intermolecular cross-linking was possible but solubility in organic solvents was maintained and micellization was observed in most cases. However, on solvent removal and drying, many of the polymers became insoluble. 

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