Recent advances in metathesis polymerisation

This chapter continues from chapter 3 in the first volume in this series. During the last few years the field of ring opening metathesis polymerisation has been characterised by an energetic pursuit of new initiators that are structurally well defined and tolerant of functional groups in monomers and of solvents. This pursuit has been very successful and it is now possible to use this transition metal mediated polymerisation technique to make a very wide variety of functionalised materials. While space prevents a comprehensive cover of all this activity, we hope, nevertheless, that this survey succeeds in conveying the excitement that this versatile technique has generated.