Neutral Palladium Complexes as Catalysts for Olefin−Methyl Acrylate Copolymerization:  A Cautionary Tale

Neutral palladium complexes bearing pyrrole−imine ligands (I−III) have been synthesized, and their use as catalysts for olefin and vinyl monomer (co)polymerizations was investigated. Methyl acrylate (MA) has been homopolymerized in excellent yields (>95%) using these complexes. Copolymerizations of MA with norbornene or 1-hexene in the presence of these catalysts produce acrylate-enriched copolymers. Hypothesizing that metal enolates are potential intermediates in some of these polymerizations, palladium enolate complexes (IV−VII) containing ligand 1 were tested for their catalytic activity. Surprisingly, these complexes proved inactive toward acrylate and/or olefin polymerizations. Further mechanistic studies have shown that the homo- and copolymers obtained using these complexes arise from a radical mechanism rather than the anticipated metal-mediated process.