ROMP of novel hindered phenol-functionalized norbornenes and preliminary evaluation as stabilizing agents†

Abstract : A series of new norbornene monomers containing sterically hindered phenol groups have been synthesized and polymerized via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using the Grubbs 3rd generation catalyst (G3’). ROMPs exhibit first-order kinetics and molar masses increase linearly with monomer conversion and well-controlled phenol hindered-functionalized polynorbornenes were obtained with a monomer to initiator ratio up to 1 000. The first-order rate constants show that the ROMP activity is closely associated with the norbornene monomer steric congestion. The antioxidant behavior of these hindered phenol-containing polynorbornenes with different para-bridged side groups in polypropylene (PP) was estimated by onset oxidation temperature (OOT) measurements. The ability of these hindered phenol-containing norbornenes to copolymerize by ROMP with dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) was used to bound covalently the antioxidant moiety onto a polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) resin whose thermal ageing has been investigated.