A ligand exchange strategy for one-pot sequential synthesis of (hyperbranched polyethylene)-b-(linear polyketone) block polymers.

Upon the addition of an equimolar amount of 2,2'-bipyridine, a cationic Pd-diimine complex capable of facilitating "living" ethylene polymerization is switched to catalyze "living" alternating copolymerization of 4-tertbutylstyrene and CO. This unique chemistry is thus employed to synthesize a range of well-defined treelike (hyperbranched polyethylene)-b-(linear polyketone) block polymers.