Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization with a Well-Defined Ruthenium Carbene Complex: An Experiment for the Undergraduate Inorganic or Polymer Laboratory

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) experiment for our inorganic laboratory that makes use of a 7-oxanorbornene monomer prepared by students. The catalyst utilized is a commercially available, well-defined ruthenium carbene complex that promotes the living polymerization of norbornene derivatives. This experiment provides students with the opportunity to gain firsthand experience performing reactions in an area of polymer chemistry that is at the forefront of modern research.