Stereoregular ROMP polymers

1. A chemical compound having formula 1:

wherein:

Y 1 2 and Y 2 2 independently represent H 2 or R 2 2 ;

R 1 represents —C(O)— or —CR 5 R 6 —;

R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 R 7 , and R 8 represent:

H or a branched or unbranched, saturated, acyclic hydrocarbon group having a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 24 carbon atoms;

a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 8 (CH 2 CH 2 O) n or (CH 2 CH 2 NH) n groups;

a saturated carbocyclic or heterocyclic hydrocarbon ring having a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 24 carbon atoms;

a fused or unfused carbocyclic aryl ring having a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 20 carbon atoms; or

a fused or unfused heterocyclic aryl ring having a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 carbon or heteroatoms (O or N), and

wherein each ring of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 R 7 , and R 8 is optionally substituted with one or more halo, nitro, hydroxyl, amino, C 1 -C 4 alkylamino or dialkylamino, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, or a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group;

x and y both equal 1 or x and y both equal 2;

b represents 0 or 1; and

Z represents OR 7 , SR 7 , NR 7 R 8 , or an active moiety.

2. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 represents —C(O)—.

3. A chemical compound according to claim 2 , wherein Z represents OR 7 or NR 7 R 8 .

4. A chemical compound according to claim 3 , wherein Z represents NR 7 R 8 , and R 7 represents H.

5. A chemical compound according to claim 4 , wherein R 1 Z represents an amino acid.

6. A chemical compound according to claim 4 , wherein R 1 Z represents an oligopeptide, a peptide, or a protein.

7. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent H.

8. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent C 1 -C 3 alkyl or phenyl.

9. A chemical compound according to claim 8 , wherein R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent methyl or ethyl.

10. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 represents —C(O)—, Z represents OR 7 , and R 7 represents pentafluorophenyl.

11. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 represents —C(O)—, Z represents NR 7 R 8 , and R 7 and R 8 join to form a succinimidyl ring.

12. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein Z represents a biological molecule.

13. A chemical compound according to claim 12 , wherein the biological molecule is a peptide having 2-8 amino acid residues.

14. A chemical compound according to claim 12 , wherein the biological molecule is a saccharide.

15. A chemical compound according to claim 13 , wherein the saccharide is a monosaccharides, disaccharides, or oligosaccharides having 3-8 saccharide units.

16. A chemical compound according to claim 12 , wherein the biological molecule is a nucleoside or an oligonucleotide having 1-8 nucleotides.

17. A chemical compound according to claim 12 , wherein the biological molecule is a fatty acid.

18. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein Z represents a small molecule.

19. A chemical compound according to claim 1 , wherein the small molecule is a pharmacologically active agent.

20. A chemical compound according to claim 19 , wherein the small molecule is an anti-tumor agent.

21. A chemical compound according to claim 18 , wherein the small molecule is a co-factor.

22. A chemical compound according to claim 21 , wherein the co-factor is folic acid, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

23. A chemical compound according to claim 18 , wherein the small molecule is an imaging agent.

24. A chemical compound according to claim 23 , wherein the imaging agent is a metal complex.

25. A chemical compound according to claim 23 , wherein the imaging agent is a precursor of a metal complex.

26. A chemical compound according to claim 23 , wherein the imaging agent is a metal chelating agent.

27. A chemical compound according to claim 24 , wherein the complex is a complex of iron, a complex of gadolinium, or a chelate of technetium.

28. A chemical compound according to claim 27 , wherein the complex is a chelate of technetium that is DOTA.

29. A chemical compound according to claim 23 , wherein the imaging agent is a fluorophore or biotin.

30. A polymer having the following formula:

wherein:

m represents the number of blocks, and may be a minimum of 1, and a maximum of 100;

n i , represents the number of monomers in a block, and may be a minimum of 1, and a maximum of 100; and

R 1 i , X i , and Z, have the same definitions as R 1 , X and Z, respectively, for the monomers in claim 1 , are the same in each block, and may vary from block to block.

31. A method for preparing the polymers of claim 30 , the method comprising:

(a) providing a chemical compound described in claim 1 ;

(b) providing a catalyst capable of promoting ring opening metathesis; and

(c) contacting the chemical compound with the catalyst under conditions that cause the chemical compound to polymerize into a polymer.

32. A method according to claim 31 , wherein the catalyst comprises ruthenium.

33. A method according to claim 31 , wherein the catalyst is [(H 2 IMes)(3-BrPyr) 2 (Cl) 2 Ru═CHPh].