Synthesis of polymers with an unprecedented structure

For more than two decades, the Ihara research group has focused on the development of new methods for polymer synthesis using diazocarbonyl compounds as monomers. They found that diazoacetate could be polymerized by a palladium (Pd)-based initiator to afford carbon–carbon (C–C) main chain polymers bearing an carboxycarbonyl group (ester) on each main chain carbon atom. The findings have been published in the journal Polymer.