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 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 spectacular growth in the past two decades. The design and application of transition metal complexes as catalysts have been recognized as the most powerful factors to achieve 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, the design and synthesis of novel catalytic species able to promote polymerization reactions, the kinetics of polymerization, mechanistic studies, the synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures in combination with other polymerization techniques, the molecular and structural characterization of the polymeric products, the preparation of polymer nanocomposites with inorganic materials (silica, alumina, clays, etc.), carbon nanotubes, and graphene are among the topics that will be covered. 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.

Prof. Marinos Pitsikalis
Guest Editor

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• Catalytic polymerization
• Ziegler–Natta catalysts
• Metallocene catalysts
• Half-metallocene catalysts
• Non-metallocene catalysts
• Late-transition metal catalysts
• Ring-opening metathesis polymerization catalysts
• Linear and non-linear homo- and copolymers
• Polymer nanocomposites
• Polymerization kinetics
• Polymerization mechanism
• Molecular and structural characterization.