Process for preparation of oligomeric or polymeric compounds using selective Michael addition

1. A method of preparing an oligomeric or polymeric compound in a liquid solution only via monosubstitution by reacting a Michael donor compound containing at least one acidic methylene group with an unsaturated Michael acceptor compound containing more than one unsaturated group in the presence of a first catalyst and a Group IA and/or Group IIA metal ion catalyst, wherein said first catalyst does not comprise said metal ions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael donor compound and Michael acceptor compound have an equivalent ratio of about 1:1.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael donor compound comprises at least one multiply-bonded heteroatom beta to a CH 2 group to which an ion in Group IA and/or Group IIA can coordinate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael donor compound is linear or cyclic.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael donor compound is an aldehyde or ketone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael donor compound is a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael donor compound is an acetoacetyl ester.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound comprises at least one multiply-bonded heteroatom beta to a C═C unsaturated group to which an ion in Group IA and/or Group IIA can coordinate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound is linear or cyclic.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound contains carbon to carbon multiple bonds attached directly to one or more electron withdrawing groups.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound is an alpha-beta unsaturated aldehyde or ketone.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound is an acrylate compound.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound is a polyacrylate compound.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Michael acceptor compound is selected from the group consisting of vinyl ketones, maleate esters, fumarate esters, acetylene dicarboxylate esters, acrylonitrile derivatives, vinyl sulfones, vinyl sulfonates and nitro olefins.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Group IA and/or Group IIA metal ion is selected from the group consisting of: Li + , K + , Na + , and Ba + .

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said Group IA and/or Group IIA metal ion is Li + .

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Group IA and/or Group IIA metal ion is in the form of a salt.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said salt is LiBr.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said salt is BaCl 2 .

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first catalyst is a base catalyst.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said metal ion catalyst is present in an amount of at least 50 mole percent based on the basic component of the base catalyst.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein said metal ion catalyst is present in an amount of at least 100 mole percent based on the basic component of the base catalyst.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein said base catalyst is an amidine or phosphine base.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said base catalyst is Diazabicycloundecene (DBU), DBN and TOP.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reaction occurs in the absence of a coordinating amine.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said coordinating amine is diisopropylamine or tetramethyl ethylene diamine.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reaction takes place in the absence of a ligating solvent.

28. An oligomeric or polymeric compound prepared by the method of claim 1 .

29. The compound of claim 28 having a polydispersity (Mw/Mn) of less than about 2.

30. The compound of claim 28 having a high functional density of more than about 3 meq/gm.