

FOLLOWUS
a.Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
b.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
weiyou@iccas.ac.cn (Y.W.)
ywang507@iccas.ac.cn (W.Y.)
Received:27 February 2026,
Accepted:02 April 2026,
Online First:24 June 2026,
Published:2026-05
Scan QR Code
Ci, X.; Bai, J.; Wang, Y.; You, W. Highly regio- and trans-selective ring-opening metathesis polymerization of chiral aza-norbornene with a simple phenylimido-tungsten catalyst. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3696-4
Xun Ci, Jing Bai, Yu Wang, et al. Highly Regio- and
Ci, X.; Bai, J.; Wang, Y.; You, W. Highly regio- and trans-selective ring-opening metathesis polymerization of chiral aza-norbornene with a simple phenylimido-tungsten catalyst. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3696-4 DOI:
Xun Ci, Jing Bai, Yu Wang, et al. Highly Regio- and
Stereochemical control in ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) is essential for tailoring polymer properties. While several existing studies have achieved tunable regioselectivity with asymmetric monomers through catalyst design
yet achieving high
trans
-selectivity alongside defined regiochemistry remains challenging. Here we report the ROMP of a chiral aza-norbornene monomer derived from Vince lactam using a readily prepared phenylimido tungsten catalyst. The resulting polymer exhibited high head-to-head regioselectivity and high
trans
-selectivity
which stands in stark contrast to our previous work where Ru-based catalysts afforded predominantly
cis
-selective polymers from the same monomer. Moreover
together with our previously reported polymers
specific rotation measurements and circular dichroism spectra demonstrated that varied stereochemical configurations significantly influenced the optical activity and ch
iral expression of polymers derived from the same chiral monomer. This work provides a complementary approach to stereochemical control in ROMP
offering valuable insights for design and synthesis of structurally well-defined chiral polymers.
Worch, J. C.; Prydderch, H.; Jimaja, S.; Bexis, P.; Becker, M. L.; Dove, A. P. Stereochemical enhancement of polymer properties. Nat. Rev. Chem. 2019 , 3 , 514−535..
Dingwell, C. E.; Hillmyer, M. A. Regio- and stereoregular EVOH copolymers from ROMP as designer barrier materials. ACS Polym. Au 2024 , 4 , 208−213..
McGuire, T. M.; Pérale, C.; Castaing, R.; Kociok-Köhn, G.; Buchard, A. Divergent catalytic strategies for the cis / trans stereoselective ring-o pening polymerization of a dual cyclic carbonate/olefin monomer. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019 , 141 , 13301−13305..
Shin, S.; Menk, F.; Kim, Y.; Lim, J.; Char, K.; Zentel, R.; Choi, T.-L. Living light-induced crystallization-driven self-assembly for rapid preparation of semiconducting nanofibers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018 , 140 , 6088−6094..
Zheng, Y.; Xu, S. S.; Pan, P. J. Stereochemical structure-controlled crystallization and physical property in stereoisomeric polymers. Macromolecules 2025 , 58 , 8971−8989..
Chen, J.; Wu, C.; Deng, J. Y.; Zhou, Y.; Liu, F.; Shi, K. M.; Jiang, P. K.; Huang, X. Y. Linear dielectric polymers with ferroelectric-like crystals for high-temperature capacitive energy storage. Adv. Mater. 2025 , 37 , 2417072..
Szweda, R. Sequence- and stereo-defined macromolecules: properties and emerging functionalities. Prog. Polym. Sci. 2023 , 145 , 101737..
Zong, Y. L.; Zhang, Y. X.; Jian, Z. B. Mechanochromic branched polyethylenes synthesized through ring-opening metathesis terpo lymerization. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025 , 43 , 1181−1189..
Al Samak, B.; Amir-Ebrahimi, V.; Corry, D. G.; Hamilton, J. G.; Rigby, S.; Rooney, J. J.; Thompson, J. M. Dramatic solvent effects on ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cycloalkenes. J. Mol. Catal. A:Chem. 2000 , 160 , 13−21..
Rosebrugh, L. E.; Ahmed, T. S.; Marx, V. M.; Hartung, J.; Liu, P.; López, J. G.; Houk, K. N.; Grubbs, R. H. Probing stereoselectivity in ring-opening metathesis polymerization mediated by cyclometalated ruthenium-based catalysts: a combined experimental and computational study. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016 , 138 , 1394−1405..
Delaude, L.; Demonceau, A.; Noels, A. F. Highly stereoselective ruthenium-catalyzed ring-opening metathesis polymerization of 2,3-difunctionalized norbornadienes and their 7-oxa analogues. Macromolecules 1999 , 32 , 2091−2103..
Hyvl, J.; Autenrieth, B.; Schrock, R. R. Proof of tacticity of stereoregular ROMP polymers through post polymerization modification. Macromolecules 2015 , 48 , 3148−3152..
Flook, M. M.; Ng, V. W. L.; Schrock, R. R. Synthesis of cis,syndiotactic ROMP polymers containing alternating enantiomers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011 , 133 , 1784−1786..
Delaude, L.; Demonceau, A.; Noels, A. F. Probing the stereoselectivity of the ruthenium-catalyzed ring-opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene and norbornadiene diesters. Macromolecules 2003 , 36 , 1446−1456..
Podewitz, M.; Sen, S.; Buchmeiser, M. R. On the origin of E-selectivity in the ring-opening metathesis polymerization with molybdenum imido alkylidene N-heterocyclic carbene complexes. Organometallics 2021 , 40 , 2478−2488..
Schrock, R. R. Synthesis of stereoregular polymers through ring-opening metathesis polymerization. Acc. Chem. Res. 2014 , 47 , 2457−2466..
Straub, B. F. Ligand influence on metathesis activity of ruthenium carbene catalysts: a DFT study. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007 , 349 , 204−214..
Tao, Y.; Xie, B.; Liu, J.; Lin, C.; Feng, Y.; Jiang, J.; Peng, Y.; Liu, L.; Zhao, J.; Fu, L. Biomass-derived functional polyacetals via controlled cascade enyne metathesis polymerization: tunable degradability, postpolymerization modification, and self-assembly. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025 , 137 , e202503022..
Debsharma, T.; Behrendt, F. N.; Laschewsky, A.; Schlaad, H. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of biomass-derived levoglucosenol. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019 , 58 , 6718−6721..
Song, D.; Lee, H.; Kim, K. T.; Kim, J.; Kim, C. Chemically recyclable chiral degradable polymers of unsymmetrical 7-membered cyclic monomers by ring-opening metathesis polymerization. Macromolecules 2025 , 58 , 6295−6303..
Fukushima, K.; Matsuzaki, K.; Oji, M.; Higuchi, Y.; Watanabe, G.; Suzuki, Y.; Kikuchi, M.; Fujimura, N.; Shimokawa, N.; Ito, H.; Kato, T.; Kawaguchi, S.; Tanaka, M. Anisotropic, degradable polymer assemblies driven by a rigid hydrogen-bonding motif that induce shape-specific cell responses. Macromolecules 2022 , 55 , 15−25..
Guillory, G. A.; Marxsen, S. F.; Alamo, R. G.; Kennemur, J. G. Precise isotactic or atactic pendant alcohols on a polyethylene backbone at every fifth carbon: synthesis, crystallization, and thermal properties. Macromolecules 2022 , 55 , 6841−6851..
Yarolimek, M. R.; Bookbinder, H. R.; Coia, B. M.; Kennemur, J. G. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of δ -pinene: well-defined polyolefins from pine sap. ACS Macro Lett. 2021 , 10 , 760−766..
Zhang, J.; Matta, M. E.; Martinez, H.; Hillmyer, M. A. Precision vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) copolymers by ROMP of acetoxy-substituted cyclic alkenes. Macromolecules 2013 , 46 , 2535−2543..
[Singh, R.; Vince, R. 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1 ] hept-5-en-3-one: chemical profile of a versatile synthetic building block and its impact on the development of therapeutics. Chem. Rev . 2012 , 112 , 4642–4686..
Benedikter, M. J.; Frater, G.; Buchmeiser, M. R. Regio- and stereoselective ring-opening metathesis polymerization of enantiomerically pure vince lactam. Macromolecules 2018 , 51 , 2276−2282..
Bai, J.; Wang, Y.; Wang, Y. S.; Zhang, N.; Wang, X. Y.; Xu, Y.; You, W. Chiral poly(aza-norbornene) derivatives with tunable tacticity and living ROMP capability. Chem. Sci. 2026 , 17 , 2233−2244..
Hayano, S.; Tsunogae, Y. Syndioselective ring-opening metathesis polymerization of endo -dicyclopentadiene with tungsten complexes having imido ligands: development of crystalline syndiotactic hydrogenated poly( endo -dicyclopentadiene). Macromolecules 2006 , 39 , 30−38..
Hayano, S.; Takeyama, Y.; Tsunogae, Y.; Igarashi, I. Hydrogenated ring-opened poly( endo -dicyclopentadiene)s made via stereoselective ROMP catalyzed by tungsten complexes: crystalline tactic polymers and amorphous atactic polymer. Macromolecules 2006 , 39 , 4663−4670..
Hayano, S.; Nakama, Y. Iso- and syndio-selective ROMP of norbornene and tetracyclododecene: effects of tacticity control on the hydrogenated ring-opened poly(cycloolefin)s. Macromolecules 2014 , 47 , 7797−7811..
Nayab, S.; Lee, H.; Lee, S.-H. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene-derived cyclic olefins using iminomethyl-hydroxyl-ligated tungsten complexes: fast reaction and tunable cis / trans selectivity. Inorg. Chem. Commun. 2025 , 171 , 113580..
Takebayashi, S.; Iron, M. A.; Feller, M.; Rivada-Wheelaghan, O.; Leitus, G.; Diskin-Posner, Y.; Shimon, L. J. W.; Avram, L.; Carmieli, R.; Wolf, S. G.; Cohen-Ofri, I.; Sanguramath, R. A.; Shenhar, R.; Eisen, M.; Milstein, D. Iron-catalysed ring-opening metathesis polymerization of olefins and mechanistic studies. Nat. Catal. 2022 , 5 , 494−502..
Chriti, D.; Raptopoulos, G.; Brandenburg, B.; Paraskevopoulou, P. Large, rapid swelling of high- cis polydicyclopentadiene aerogels suitable for solvent-responsive actuators. Polymers 2020 , 12 , 1033..
Kruger, A. G.; Brucks, S. D.; Yan, T.; Cárcarmo Oyarce, G.; Wei, Y.; Wen, D. H.; Carvalho, D. R.; Hore, M. J. A.; Ribbeck, K.; Schrock, R. R.; Kiessling, L. L. Stereochemical control yields mucin mimetic polymers. ACS Cent. Sci. 2021 , 7 , 624−630..
Raptopoulos, G.; Anyfantis, G. C.; Chriti, D.; Paraskevopoulou, P. Synthesis and structural characterization of poly(dicyclopentadiene) gels obtained with a novel ditungsten versus conventional W and Ru mononuclear catalysts. Inorg. Chim. Acta 2017 , 460 , 69−76..
Schaubroeck, D.; Brughmans, S.; Vercaemst, C.; Schaubroeck, J.; Verpoort, F. Qualitative FT-raman investigation of the ring opening metathesis polymerization of dicyclopentadiene. J. Mol. Catal. A:Chem. 2006 , 254 , 180−185..
Pan, Y. C.; Li, T.; Zhou, Y.; Li, L. In-situ monitoring of cyclic olefin ring-opening metathesis polymerization by raman spectroscopy: an effective tool for functional polymer and copolymer design. Polymer 2022 , 242 , 124613..
Lin, H. N.; Yang, X. Y.; Liu, S. Y.; Jäkle, F. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of the dewar isomer of 1,2-azaborinine, a B–N isostere of benzene. ACS Macro Lett. 2024 , 13 , 21−27..
Hosseini, S. S.; Sui, X. L.; Du, W. T.; Du, Z.; Tang, B. Z.; Yang, J. L. Low-energy ultrasound-triggered frontal polymerization for scalable and high-performance polyolefins. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2025 , 13 , 14254−14267..
Ding, F.; Monsaert, S.; Drozdzak, R.; Dragutan, I.; Dragutan, V.; Sun, Y.; Gao, E.; Van Der Voort, P.; Verpoort, F. First FT-Raman and 1H NMR comparative investigations in ring opening metathesis polymerization. Vib. Spectrosc. 2009 , 51 , 147−151..
Van Den Eede, M. P.; Gestel, L.; Koeckelberghs, G. Expression of chirality in tailor-made conjugated polymers. Macromolecules 2018 , 51 , 6602−6608..
Van Den Eede, M. P.; Bedi, A.; Delabie, J.; De Winter, J.; Gerbaux, P.; Koeckelberghs, G. The influence of the end-group on the chiral self-assembly of all-conjugated block copolymers. Polym. Chem. 2017 , 8 , 5666−5672..
Monnaie, F.; Van Den Eede, M. P.; Guy Koeckelberghs. Expression of chirality in a conjugated polymer without any excess of chiral centers. Macromolecules 2015 , 48 , 8121−8127..
Cheng, X. X.; Miao, T. F.; Yin, L.; Zhang, W.; Zhu, X. L. Construction of supramolecular chirality in polymer systems: chiral induction, transfer and application. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2021 , 39 , 1357−1375..
[Zhou, Y.; Chen, B.; Wang, J.; Cai, L.; Zhang, M.; Xu, Z.; Cao, J.; Tan, S.; Yan, J.; Han, X.-W.; Xing, X. Sequence- and stereocontrolled ring-opening/cross metathesis polymerization. J. Am. Chem. Soc . 2026 , 148 , 12898−12908..
0
Views
0
Downloads
0
CSCD
Publicity Resources
Related Articles
Related Author
Related Institution
京公网安备11010802046900号