Insertion Homo‐ and Copolymerization of Diallyl Ether

The previously unresolved issue of polymerization of allyl monomers CH2CHCH2X is overcome by a palladium‐catalyzed insertion polymerization of diallyl ether as a monomer. An enhanced 2,1‐insertion of diallyl ether as compared to mono‐allyl ether retards the formation of an unreactive five‐membered cyclic O‐chelate (after 1,2‐insertion) that otherwise hinders further polymerization, and also enhances incorporation in ethylene polymers (20.4 mol %). Cyclic ether repeat units are formed selectively (96 %–99 %) by an intramolecular insertion of the second allyl moiety of the monomer. These features even enable a homopolymerization to yield polymers (poly‐diallyl ether) with degrees of polymerization of DPn≈44.