Catalytic polymerizations in aqueous medium

A large variety of polymers is synthesized by catalysis with organometallic complexes. The polymerizations are usually performed under anhydrous reaction conditions due to the poisoning effect of water toward the metal center. Nevertheless, recent advances have demonstrated that water can be a suitable diluent (or solvent) for these polymerizations. Therefore, this review covers the aqueous ring opening metathesis polymerization, alkyne polymerization, alpha-olefin polymerization, alternated ethylene/CO copolymerization and diene polymerization, catalyzed by transition metal complexes. The recent advances in the aforementioned polymerizations are presented in terms of catalyst synthesis, catalytic activity and polymer characteristics. Unprecedented materials (nanometric dispersions of polymer in water, i.e. latex) or polymerization processes (polymerization in the presence of surfactant) are also described. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.