Polyhomologation: Synthesis of Novel Polymethylene Architectures by a Living Polymerization of Dimethylsulfoxonium Methylide.

ABSTRACT

Not conventional polymerization of ethylene, but rather the title reaction has allowed access to the ω-functionalized tertiary polymethylene alcohols 1. The ylide CH2 SOMe2 is the methylene source in this living polymerization, and the chain length can be set by the initial ratio of ylide to organoborane.