Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET) as Powerful Tool for Functional Polymers with Versatile Architectures

Since the discovery of acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET), researchers have gradually developed ADMET polymerization into a mature methodology for the preparation of versatile polymers with various precise functional groups. As a representative stepwise polymerization method, ADMET enable the polymerization of relatively “inert” acyclic diene monomers. By rational design of monomer structures, the resulted functional materials can be used in various fields such as biomedicine, optoelectronics and stimulus responsive materials. This review will focus on the synthetic strategies of functional polymers with various precise moieties by ADMET over the past few decades, especially functional polyesters, polyethers, polyolefins, and conjugated polymers as well as organometallic polymers will be summarized. Acyclic diene metathesis not only provides facile method for the polymerization of relatively “inert” acyclic diene monomers, but also gives polymers with versatile architectures and functionalities that cannot prepared via conventional polymerization methods. This comprehensive review summarizes the rational design of monomers for ADMET polymerization and corresponding synthesis of functional polyesters, polyethers, polyolefins, and conjugated polymers as well as organometallic polymers.