RuCl2(p-cymene)(PCy3) immobilized on mesoporous molecular sieves as catalyst for ROMP of norbornene and its derivatives

New heterogeneous catalysts for ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) have been prepared by immobilization of RuCl2(p-cymene)(PCy3) (Cy = cyclohexyl) on silica and siliceous mesoporous molecular sieves SBA-15 and MCM-41. Activity of these catalysts was investigated in ROMP of norbornene (NBE) and its derivatives (dicyclopentadiene,5-norbornene-2-yl acetate). High molecular weight polymers (M-w up to 400 000) were prepared in yields up to 80% using catalysts based on mesoporous sieves. In contrast, with catalyst based on conventional silica the yield did not exceed 28% (ROMP of NBE). Filtration test proved that the catalytic activity was bound to the solid phase. Catalysts could be easily separated from the reaction mixture in contrast to the corresponding homogeneous system. Therefore, polymers with reduced amounts of catalyst residues were obtained. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.