Redox-active dirhodium(ii,ii) species covalently entrapped into a methylmethacrylate backbone

A novel class of polymers was obtained by insertion of dirhodium(ii,ii) metal systems into a methacrylate backbone; the synthesis was realized by free radical polymn. of an appropriate methacrylate-functionalized dirhodium polymer precursor, namely [Rh2(form)2(MA-COO)2] (form = N,N’-di-p-tolylformamidinate) (MA-COO = 2-(methacroyloxy)ethyl-phthalate), with methylmethacrylate (MMA); the new copolymers, in soln., show reversible CO-absorption, connected to the axial reactivity of dirhodium(ii,ii) species.