A Pd-diimine catalytic inimer for synthesis of polyethylenes of hyperbranched-on-hyperbranched and star architectures.

A Pd-diimine catalytic inimer containing uniquely catalytic, initiating, and monomeric functionalities in one catalyst molecule is designed. It enables the first self-condensing vinyl copolymerization of ethylene, leading to polyethylenes of a hyperbranched-on-hyperbranched architecture. Meanwhile, it also facilitates the synthesis of star polyethylenes by tandem UV-coordinative polymerization.