Catalytic and Electrochemical Strategies for Polymer Synthesis and Degradation
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Through the realization of advanced synthetic strategies, polymer chemists can enact precise control over both the construction and deconstruction of polymeric materials. Consequently, advancements in synthetic polymer chemistry represent enabling technologies for current sustainability efforts, for example, in the development of materials for clean energy devices or in the valorization of plastic waste. The contents of this thesis detail catalytic and electrochemical strategies to synthesize and degrade high-performance polymers for applications in sustainability. Chapter 1 describes our perspective on norbornene as an advantageous monomer for living coordination-insertion polymerizations of functionalized monomers. Chapter 2 details our development of a direct coordination-insertion polymerization of cation-containing norbornenes to provide aliphatic anion exchange membranes (AEMs) in one step. Chapter 3 expands upon this work, describing how we developed a palladium catalyst that is capable of living coordination-insertion polymerizations under ambient conditions and with unique tolerance to a broad range of functional groups. Finally, Chapter 4 describes how we leveraged knowledge of electrochemical systems to develop a selective electrocatalytic degradation of ether-containing polymers.