Direct Synthesis of Functionalized High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene by Copolymerization of Ethylene with Polar Monomers

The introduction of even a small amount of polar functional groups into polyolefins could excise great control over important material properties. As the most direct and economic strategy, the transition-metal-catalyzed copolymerization of olefins with polar, functionalized monomers represents one of the biggest challenges in this field. The presence of polar monomers usually dramatically reduces the catalytic activity and copolymer molecular weight (to the level of thousands or even hundreds Da), rendering the copolymerization process and the copolymer materials far from ideal for industrial applications. In this contribution, we demonstrate that these obstacles can be addressed through rational catalyst design. Copolymers with highly linear microstructures, high melting temperatures, and very high molecular weights (close to or above 1000 000 Da) were generated. The direct synthesis of polar functionalized high-molecular-weight polyethylene was thus achieved.