A systematic investigation of the synthesis and characterization of a new class of amorphous atactic cis, trans poly(methylene-1,3-cyclopentane-stat-cyclohexane) statistical copolymers (I) is reported. Production of different grades of I that vary with respect to the ratio of 5-and 6-membered cycloalkane repeat units was achieved through the living coordinative chain transfer cyclopolymerization of different initial feed ratios of 1,5-hexadiene and 1,6-heptadiene comonomers. It was determined that the glass transition temperature, T g , of I can be systematically increased from −16 to 100 °C as a function of increasing 6-membered ring content, although not in a strictly linear fashion. It was further determined that a small level of 6-membered ring content is sufficient to disrupt the crystallinity of the limiting atactic cis, trans poly(methylene-1,3-cyclopentane) (PMCP) homopolymer that possesses a melting temperature, T m , of 98 °C. These results establish a foundation for future potential technological applications of this unique class of polyolefin copolymers.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.