Direct copolymerization of olefins with polar monomers
to produce
functionalized polyolefins has attracted much attention; however,
highly efficient incorporation of amide functions into polyolefins
is a long-standing challenge because the amide function is pronounced
to retard chain growth. In this contribution, Vince Lactam’s
derivatives (VL
H
, VL
Me
, and VL
Boc
) that contain high ring strain and an amide moiety are utilized
in ethylene copolymerization mediated by palladium catalysts. Amide-functionalized
polyethylenes, poly(E-VLBoc)s, are accessible with key
characteristics of high amide incorporations (up to 30.1 mol %), high
copolymer molecular weights, and high catalytic activities. The incorporation
of the amide comonomer converts crystalline poly(E-VLBoc)s (T
m = 115–125 °C) to noncrystalline
and transparent poly(E-VLBoc)s (T
g = 98–196 °C, optical transmittance (T) = 87.6%–90.4%). Both characteristics of cyclic amide functions
and high amide incorporations in poly(E-VLBoc) enable facile
post-transformations under mild conditions to produce hydrogen bond-containing
(-C(O)NH-) poly(E-VLH), difunctionalized (-COOH and -NHR)
poly(E-VLNHBoc), and water-soluble ammonium-functionalized
poly(E-VLNH3
+
). The ammonium functionality
endows polyolefin with antibacterial properties.