SYNTHESIS OF POLYENES THAT CONTAIN MESOGENIC SIDE-CHAINS VIA THE LIVING POLYMERIZATION OF 4-(FERROCENYLETHYNYL)-4'-ETHYNYLTOLAN

The living polymerization of the metallocenyl-substituted diethynyltol an, 4-(ferrocenylethynyl)-4'-ethynyltolan (I), by the well-defined Sch rock metathesis catalyst Mo(N-2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)(CHCMe2-Ph)(OCMe(CF3)(2))( 2) (II) is described. The polymerization starts virtually solely via b eta-addition of the monomer to the metal-carbon double bond and yields conjugated, surprisingly soluble, main chain polyenes containing meso genic, rigid side chains. Despite the beta-addition, the polymerizatio n proceeds in a controlled, living manner, resulting in the the format ion of low polydispersity polymers. The resulting polymers exhibit a r emarkable stability against air and thermal treatment.