| abstract |
This invention relates to metal complexes which are useful as catalyst components in olefin metathesis reactions, atom or group transfer radical polymerisation or addition reactions and vinylation reactions. It also relates, preferably with respect to a sub-class of said metal complexes, to their use as a component of a catalytic system for the polymerisation of α-olefins, and optionally conjugated dienes, with high activity at moderate temperatures. It also relates to obtaining polymers with extremely narrow molecular weight distribution by means of a living polymerisation reaction. It also relates to methods for making said metal complexes and to novel intermediates involved in such methods. It further relates to certain derivatives of the said metal complexes which are suitable for covalent bonding to a carrier, the product of such covalent bonding being useful as a supported catalyst for heterogeneous catalytic reactions. It also relates to the direct one-step synthesis of pyrrole, furan and thiophene compounds from diallyl compounds. Finally, the invention relates to dendrimeric materials comprising metal complexes attached to a core molecule which are catalysts removable from a reaction mixture by ultrafiltration. |