Metal-catalyzed CH activation for polymer synthesis and functionalization

Transition-metal-catalyzed CH bond activation has attracted substantial interest in recent years as an efficient, step-economic, and environmentally benign pathway for the synthesis of functional polymers. The polymerization reaction may proceed through CH/CX cross-coupling, oxidative CH/CH coupling, and CH addition to unsaturated CC bonds. CH activation may also serve as a chain transfer reaction for olefin polymerization and polymer post-functionalization. This review summarizes recent advances in this area.