We would like to dedicate this article to P. H. Plesch, a pioneer of cationic polymerization and a mentor and friend for many of those who are now at the forefront of this field of science. He passed away 5 March 2013 at the age of 95. We will miss him. Abstract: This short, introductory review covers the still rapidly growing and industrially important field of ring opening polymerization (ROP). The review is organized according to mechanism (radical ROP (RROP), cationic ROP (CROP), anionic ROP (AROP) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP)) rather than monomer classes. Nevertheless, the different groups of cyclic monomers are considered (olefins, ethers, thioethers, amines, lactones, thiolactones, lactams, disulfides, anhydrides, carbonates, silicones, phosphazenes and phosphonites) and the mechanisms by which they can be polymerized involving a ring-opening polymerization. Literature up to 2012 has been considered but the citations selected refer to detailed reviews and key papers, describing not only the latest developments but also the evolution of the current state of the art.

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poly(2-methylpropene) (PIB) macromonomers (P3 (VB); P5) is described:In this communication a novel synthetic route to a-tert-butyl-o-[p-vinylphenyll-terminated and P5Attempts to synthesize such macromonomers in both one-and two-step syntheses are described. The one-step method using 4-chloromethylstyrene/AlR3 as initiating system for the polymerization of 2-methylpropene did not yield linear macromonomers but rather highly branched products. The alternative two-step synthesis using l-(2-bromoethyl)-4-chloromethylbenzene (BCB) or BCB/AgSbF, as initiator also failed to yield the desired products. Successful synthetic routes, optimised on the basis of model experiments with low molar mass compounds, are also described for preparing the above macromonomers. Both of these routes involve isopropenylterminated PIB, which is easily assessible by Inifer technique followed by dehydrohalogenation. Friedel-Crafts alkylation of phenol by the terminal olefin group of PIB, followed by subsequent esterification of the phenolic end-groups with 4-vinylbenzoyl chloride, affords the macromonomer P3(VB). Conversion of the terminal olefin group of PIB into a primary alcohol using 9-bora[3,3, I]-bicyclononane/H202, followed by esterification, yields the macromonomer P5. ' ) BASF,

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