Highly active ruthenium metathesis catalysts enabling ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclopentadiene at low temperatures

Abstract

Due to the low ring strain and facile dimerization, ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclopentadiene, readily obtainable from petroleum feedstock, has not been realized. Here the authors show an ultrarapidly initiating trifluoromethanesulfonamide-based ruthenium catalyst enables it at low temperatures.