Allylic hydrocarbon polymers complexed with Fe(II)(salen) as a ultrahigh oxygen-scavenging and active packaging film

Macromolecular metal complexes provide a molecular-based synergy function of organic polymers and combined metal complexes. A new category of macromolecular complexes includes catalytically active metal complexes immobilized by organic polymers containing reactive substrate moieties in their repeating units. Here, we describe the extremely efficient oxidation of allylic hydrocarbon polymers with the attached iron complex catalyst, as well as the efficient oxygen-consumption or oxygen-scavenging function of the matrix polymer film. The less toxic N,Ń-di(salicylaldehyde)ethylenediiminatoiron(II) complex was combined with or fixed onto a series of allylic hydrocarbon polymers as both the oxidative substrate and the film matrix, i.e. poly(1,2-butadiene), polynorbornene, poly(5-vinyl-2-norbornene), poly(2,5-norboenadiene), poly(dicyclopentadiene), and poly(5-ethylidene-2-norbornene). Ultra-high oxygen-scavenging capacity up to 300 mL (oxygen gas at STP)/g(film) was achieved, based on the oxidative consumption of the allylic bond (particularly of poly(5-ethylidene-2-norbornene)), which was more than three times that of the previously reported highest oxygen-scavenging polymers. These oxygen-scavenging films are based on the high reactivity of polymer-metal complexes that provides an innovative development in the area of active packaging polymer films that facilitate cost-effective performance, safety, and sustainability.