Synthesis and gas permeability of halogen derivatives of norbornene polymers

A series of high-molecular-mass polymers of norbornene with chlorine- and fluorine-containing hydrocarbon side groups in a five-membered ring incorporated into a polymer backbone were synthesized via metathesis polymerization. The introduction of Cl, CH 2 Cl, and a spirocyclopropyl substituent was shown to induce a marked decrease in the gas permeability of the films based on the above polymers. On the contrary, two synthesized fluorinated polynorbonenes containing CF 3 and OCF(CF 3 ) 2 moieties were found to exhibit high permeability coefficients for a number of gases (H 2 , O 2 , CO 2 ). It is this fact, in combination with reasonable values of the separation factors as well as insolubility of the above polymers in hydrocarbon solvents, that makes them promising and attractive materials for gas-separation membranes