Isoselective 3,4-(co)polymerization of bio-renewable myrcene using NSN-ligated rare-earth metal precursor: an approach to a new elastomer†
Abstract
The polymerization of bio-renewable myrcene (MY), using a cationic β-diimidosulfonate lutetium catalyst in high activity, afforded an unprecedented isotactic 3,4-polymyrcene (PMY) with a low Tg (−42 °C). Based on this result, the random and block copolymerization of myrcene and isoprene (IP) resulted in novel elastomers that comprise the amorphous iso-3,4-PMY and iso-3,4-PIP sequences.