Polyethylene (PE) is a commodity produced on a massive scale and also is one of the most studied macromolecules. Crystallinity can be controlled by copolymerizing ethylene with α-olefins, producing a wide range of material responses. Physical properties of PE, obtained via α-olefin copolymerization, depend on the branch content that is directly related to the comonomer incorporation into the PE backbone. Materials with unknown primary structures are produced via chain-growth chemistry, because unwanted side reactions generate defects in the main backbone that alter the morphological behavior and thermal response. Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization/hydrogenation methodology produce perfect sequenced copolymers of ethylene with α-olefins. Synthesis and thermal properties of PE with butyl branches precisely placed along the polymer backbone using ADMET chemistry is described within.
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