Control of Polymer Composition in Pd‐Catalyzed CO/Olefin Terpolymerization Reactions

The CO/tert‐butylstyrene/ethylene terpolymerization catalyzed by Pd‐(N‐N′) complexes was studied. The results evidence that the olefin preferentially inserted in the terpolymer chain is strictly related to the nature of the nitrogen ligand, mainly to its steric constraints, and not to the kind of ligand. Indeed, slight variations in the backbone of the nitrogen ligands coordinated to palladium allow for the synthesis of terpolymers with a controlled composition.