Borylation of Polyolefins

Hartwig and Hillmyer have recently reported the Rh-catalyzed borylation of polyolefins to yield boronate-functionalized polymers (58) (Fig. 37) in a single step.83 The number-average molecular weight of the borylated polymer that was obtained at a B2pin2 polyethylethylene ratio of 0.3 was found to be the highest (Mn = 52,000 and PDI = 1.09) among the developed boronate-functionalized polyolefins. 

Figure 37 The boronate-functionalized polymer (58) obtained by the Rh-catalyzed borylation of polyolefins. (Adapted from ref. 83.)...

The rhodium-catalyzed borylation of alkanes is applied to regiospecific functionalization of polyolefines.165,165a The reaction of polypropylenes (atactic, isotactic, and syndiotactic) with B2pin2 in the presence of Cp Rh( 74-C6Me6) catalyst at 200 °G affords the borylated polymers, which are treated with basic hydrogen peroxide in a mixture of THF and H20 to oxidize the boronate esters to the corresponding alcohols (Scheme 20). The hydroxylated polymers contain 0.2-1.5% hydroxymethyl side-chains. 

Initial reports on the borylation of alkanes using isolated transition-metal-boryl complexes date back to 1995, when Hartwig showed that Cp Re(CO)2(Bpin)2 converts pentane to 1-borylpentane with high regioselectivity. " The catalytic C-H borylation of alkanes with Cp Re(CO)3 using photochemical activation was demonstrated soon thereafter (equation 25). Also, an efficient thermal process that involves the use of rhodium catalysts has since been developed (equation 26). It is interesting to note that this methodology is not restricted to small molecules, but has recently been exploited for the direct side-chain functionalization of polyolefins. ... 

Recently, Bae and coworkers synthesized hydrophilic graft copolymers of polyolefins with a combination of rhodium-catalyzed C—H borylation... 

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