SYNTHESIS AND PROPELLER PROPELLER TRANSITION OF OPTICALLY-ACTIVE POLY(DIPHENYL-O-METHOXYPHENYLMETHYL METHACRYLATE)

Diphenyl-o-methoxyphenylmethyl methacrylate was polymerized with several organolithium complexes of chiral ligand such as (-)-sparteine (Sp) and (S,S)-(+)-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butane (DDB). (+)-DDB was effective in preparing a polymer of high optical rotation, whereas (-)-Sp only gave oligomers with low optical rotation for the repulsive hindrance between the bulky ester group and the rigid ligand. The optical rotation of the polymer decreased rapidly to a constant value due to the propeller-propeller transition, which has been demonstrated by H-1 n.m.r. and circular dichroic spectra.