The ring-opening polymerisation of some fluorinated cycloalkenes

Abstract

The work described in this thesis was concerned with an investigation of the ring-opening polymerisation of fluorinated cyclopentenes, bicyclo-[2.2.l] hept-2-enes and bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-dienes and indene. The questions the research set out to answer are discussed and placed in context in Chapter 1. The syntheses and characterisation of the monomers required for this work are described in Chapter 4. An investigation into the polymerisability of fluorinated cyclopentenes is recorded in Chapter 3. Chapters 5 and 6 describe the successful polymerisation and copolyraerisation of a variety of partially fluorinated bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-enes and bicyclo[2.2.l]hepta-2,5-dienes, together with their characterisation. The final chapter describes some apparently successful preliminary results concerning attempts to ring-open polymerise indene.