The preparation of well-defined functionalized polyolefins via coordination-insertion polymerization method is a hot topic in polymer science. Late transition organometallic catalysts have attracted widespread attentions due to their application prospects in the synthesis of functionalized polyolefins by direct masking-reagent-free copolymerization of olefin with polar monomers. Numerous improvements in this field have been dominated by precious palladium catalysts, which have been reviewed thoroughly in the past years, while less-expensive and earth-abundant nickel catalysts that are closer to practical application have encountered stronger challenges in this regard because of the lower tolerance toward functional groups. However, with unremitting efforts nickel mediated copolymerization has witnessed rapid development in the past five years. This review thus summarizes the major progress in copolymerization of olefins with various polar monomers using state-of-the-art nickel catalysts bearing [N,N]-type ligands (such as α-diimine), [N,O]-type ligands (such as salicylaldimine and α-iminoketone), [P,O]-type ligands (such as phosphine-sulfonate, phosphine-phenolate, and bisphosphine-monoxide), binuclear ligands and other unclassified ligands, focusing on ligand modifications and catalyst designing strategies that enhance catalytic performance of copolymerization reactions.

通过配位-插入聚合方法制备定义明确的官能化聚烯烃是聚合物科学中的热门话题。晚期过渡有机金属催化剂由于其在通过烯烃与极性单体的直接掩蔽-无试剂共聚来合成官能化聚烯烃中的应用前景而引起了广泛的关注。过去几年中对贵金属钯催化剂进行了全面审查，从而在该领域做出了许多改进，而更便宜，更富泥土的镍催化剂在实际应用中却面临着更大的挑战，因为这种催化剂的价格较低对功能组的宽容。然而，在过去的五年中，通过不懈的努力，镍介导的共聚发展迅速。