Synthesis and utility of ethylene (meth)acrylate copolymers prepared by a tandem ring-opening polymerization hydrogenation strategy

One new and one established functional cyclooctene were prepared and (co)polymerized using ring-opening metathesis polymerization. The resulting polymers were hydrogenated to yield the corresponding functional polyolefins that were structurally equivalent to copolymers of ethylene and either methyl methacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, or acrylic acid after deprotection. The copolymers that incorporate methyl methacrylate into the backbone were used as compatibilizers for poly(methyl methacrylate)/polyethylene blends. The copolymers that incorporate t-butyl acrylate into the backbone yielded elastomers that could be thermally crosslinked.