Metal Complexes-Mediated Catalysis in Polymerization

Dear Colleagues,

One of the ultimate challenges in polymer chemistry is the development of new synthetic methods for the polymerization of a wide range of monomers leading to products with well-defined molecular characteristics (molecular weight and molecular weight distribution), stereochemistry and architecture. In this respect, catalytic polymerization is now considered as one of the most important research frontiers in polymer chemistry and technology. It has become the backbone of several significant branches of the plastics and rubber industries occupying the most prominent place in the market.
Transition metal chemistry has witnessed a spectacular growth in the past two decades. The design and application of transition metal complexes as catalysts has been recognized as the most powerful tool for the polymerization of non-polar and polar monomers. Research has been mainly focused on the polymerization of the commercially most important monomers, such as ethylene, propylene and α-olefins. However, other monomers, such as (meth)acrylates, lactones, lactides and isocyanates, have been polymerized by catalytic polymerization techniques.
This Special Issue is focused on the recent developments in the synthesis of linear and non-linear homo- and copolymers by metal complexes-mediated catalytic polymerization. Polymerization of new monomers, design and synthesis of novel catalytic species able to promote polymerization reactions, kinetics of polymerization, mechanistic studies, synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures in combination with other polymerization techniques, molecular and structural characterization of the polymeric products, preparation of polymer nanocomposites with inorganic materials (silica, alumina, clays etc.), carbon nanotubes or graphene are among the topics that will be covered. The catalytic species include Ziegler-Natta catalysts, metallocene and half-metallocene complexes of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups of the periodic table, non-metallocene complexes bearing diamido, alkylthio, amine-phenolate, etc., ligands, late transition metal complexes based on nickel, palladium, copper and ruthenium, molybdenum, etc., complexes for Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization reactions of cycloolefins and alkynes. Both original contributions and reviews are welcome.

Professor Marinos Pitsikalis
Guest Editor

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