POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS VIA CATALYTIC HYDROCARBOXYLATION OF POLYBUTADIENES

Polycarboxylic acids with a variety of different micro-structures have been prepared by homogeneous catalytic hydrocarboxylation of polybutadienes using palladium based catalysts; the microstructure of the product polymers depends upon that of the starting material as well as on the nature of the catalyst system, since selectivity between functionalisation at the backbone double bonds or at the terminal or internal carbon atom of the pendant double bonds can to some extent be engineered.