Controlled synthesis of azobenzene functionalized homo and copolymers via direct acyclic diene metathesis polymerization

A powerful and efficient strategy for obtaining a series of azobenzene functionalized linear unsaturated polyolefins is described, which involves the first design and synthesis of three different α,ω-diene monomers with different reactivity of acrylates and terminal double bonds and their subsequent acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization under mild reaction conditions. Different ruthenium based metathesis catalysts and conditions were tested to optimize the ADMET polymerization of these monomers. Besides, this polycondensation method is also reported allowing for the synthesis of alternating and diblock azobenzene-containing copolymers with molecular weight control by using the selectivity of olefin cross-metathesis between acrylates and terminal olefins. The resulting polymers showed well-defined molecular weights, reasonable polydispersity index, and reversible photoresponsive behavior. This special combination of the benefits of metathesis polymerization and azobenzene is a highly versatile system for materials in many applications.