Selective synthesis of α-vinyl-ω-vinylidene-oligoisoprene as a macromonomer via ethenolysis of polyisoprene

Abstract Oligoisoprene macromonomer, which bears a terminal vinyl group, was prepared by the metathesis degradation of high-molecular-weight polyisoprene with ethylene for coordination polymerization. The ethenolysis of polyisoprene using the 2nd-generation Grubbs catalyst ( G2 ) at ambient pressure gave heterotelechelic (α-vinyl-ω-vinylidene) oligoisoprene, keeping the stereoregularity in high yield, whereas the 1st generation Grubbs catalyst was immediately deactivated. In such metathesis degradation, an intramolecular side reaction giving cyclic oligomers may be competitive, but ethenolysis proceeded with high selectivity, probably because of the least steric effect of ethylene. The ethenolysis is also applicable for the degradation of natural rubber-derived polyisoprene, although the catalytic activity decreased. The prepared oligoisoprene macromonomer was successfully copolymerized with ethylene using a phenoxyimine-ligated titanium catalyst, and the reactivity of the macromonomer was almost the same as that of 1-hexadecene. The oligoisoprene-grafted polyethylene showed a typical stress‒strain curve, of which the tensile modulus and yielding stress are comparable to those of linear low-density polyethylene.