Well-controlled and extremely rapid ring-opening metathesis polymerization of unusual oxanorbornene lactam esters by Grubbs third-generation catalyst is used to prepare a range of bio-based homo- and copolymers. Bio-derived oxanorbornene lactam monomers were prepared at room temperature from maleic anhydride and secondary furfuryl amines by using a 100 % atom economical, tandem Diels-Alder lactamization reaction, followed by esterification. Several of the resulting homo- and copolymers show good control over polymer molecular weight and have narrow molecular weight distributions.
Keywords: biomass; homogeneous catalysis; metathesis; polymerization; sustainable polymers.
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