Syndioselective Polymerization of Vinylnaphthalene.

Coordination polymerizations of 1-vinylnaphthalene (1VN), 2-vinylnaphthalene (2VN) and 6-methoxy-2-vinylnaphthalene (MVN) are carried out at room temperature by using the half-sandwich scandium precursor FluSiMe3 Sc(CH2 SiMe3 )2 (THF) (1) and the constrained geometry configuration rare-earth metal precursors FluCH2 PyLn(CH2 SiMe3 )2 (THF)n [Flu = C13 H8 , Py = C5 H4 N; Ln = Sc (2a), n = 0; Ln = Lu (2b), Y(2c), n = 1]. Atactic poly(1VN) and perfect syndiotactic poly(2VN) and poly(MVN) are produced by precursors 2a-2c in a controlled way. Treatment of poly(MVN) with boron tribromide at -20 °C provides a syndiotactic poly(6-hydroxy-2-vinylnaphthalene).