Optical Density at 193 nm of Vinyl Addition Poly(norbornene) Made Using Hydrogen as a Chain Transfer Agent

Abstract

Homopolymers of a bis-trifluorocarbinol substituted norbornene (1) (α,α-bis(trifluoromethyl)bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-ethanol or HFANB) were produced using a palladium catalyst and hydrogen as a chain transfer agent to control molecular weight. As the hydrogen pressure increased, the molecular weight of poly(1) decreased. Spectroscopic analysis of these polymers by 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF MS confirmed that the hydrogen chain transfer agent generated hydrogen-terminated vinyl addition homopolymers of 1. The optical density of these polymers is extremely low at 193 nm and is independent of molecular weight.