SYNTHESIS AND POLYMERIZATION OF VINYL ORGANOMETALLIC MONOMERS.

There is currently a considerable research effort in both academic and industrial laboratories concerning the synthesis and properties of metal-containing polymers. These new materials are not only of intrinsic interest, but they offer potential utility as catalysts, semiconductors, lithographic photoresists, electrode coating materials, anti-fouling agents, and for a variety of other applications. In principle, there are two basic routes to the formation of metal-containing polymers. An approach has involved the synthesis of organometallic compounds which contain polymerizable functional groups, followed by homopolymerization of these monomers or copolymerization with conventional organic monomers. We have developed this route to metal-containing polymers in a joint program of research over the past several years, and report here a summary of our recent results.