Highly Isotactic and High-Molecular-Weight Poly(2-vinylpyridine) by Coordination Polymerization with Yttrium Bis(phenolate) Ether Catalysts

Poly­(2-vinylpyridine) with highly
isotactic (Pm = 0.97) and high-molecular-weight
(∼105 g/mol) characteristics was obtained for the
first time using novel
yttrium bis­(phenolate) ether catalysts. These catalysts also showed
high activity and tolerance to low loadings. Computational studies
and kinetic experiments provided a fundamental understanding of the
initiation, propagation, and stereocontrol mechanism governing the
polymerization reactions mediated by yttrium catalysts.