Modern synthetic methods have revolutionized polymer chemistry through the development of new and powerful strategies for the controlled synthesis of complex polymer architectures. Many of these developments were spawned by new classes of transition metal catalysts for the synthesis of new polyolefin microstructures, the design of highly efficient families of "living" polymerization strategies for the synthesis of block, graft, and star polymers, controlled methods for the synthesis of dendritic macromolecules, and recently, strategies for the synthesis of cyclic polyolefms by a metathesis ring-expansion polymerization. Moreover, even a passing familiarity with enzymatic catalysis engenders a sense of awe and deep appreciation for the potential of precisely positioned organic functional groups to catalyze both single and multiple cascade reactions with high rates, selectivities, and energy efficiencies.
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