Catalysis of the copolymerization of olefins with carbon monoxide: Regio- and stereochemical control

Ligand modification of palladium-based catalytic systems for the strictly a lternating copolymerization reaction of olefin with carbon monoxide enables us to influence the stereo- and regiochemistry of the olefin insertion dur ing the growth of the macromolecular chain. An overview of the author's res earch on the catalyst-based control of the macromolecular architecture and on the factors that are involved in that control is presented.