The paper proposes a series of promising Zr(IV) complexes and experimentally confirms that, when activated with minimal amounts of modified metylaluminoxane MMAO-12 ([Al]/[Zr] ~20–40), these complexes are able to initiate copolymerization of hex-1-ene with polar vinyl monomers FG-(CH₂)₈CH=CH₂ [where FG is a functional group selected from C(O)NMe₂, CH₂OSiMe₃, C(O)OⁱPr, and CH₂OH]. The prepared copolymers were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry. Isotactic copolymers of hex-1-ene with 10-undecen-1-ol with polar comonomer content up to 32.2 mol % have been synthesized for the first time. An investigation of the adhesive properties of the prepared copolymers has shown that incorporating 10-undecen-1-ol enhances the adhesive fracture energy by a factor of 32 compared to the respective homopolymer.

The reactivity of polar vinyl monomers, unsaturated compounds containing functional groups, depends on the presence or absence of conjugation between the C=C bond and the neighbouring unsaturated moieties or donor heteroatoms. Conjugated polar vinyl monomers (acrylates, vinyl ethers, etc.) (co)polymerize upon free-radical initiation. The reaction is widely used to produce numerous polymer materials that qualitatively differ from polyolefins in their characteristics. Copolymerization of ethylene, propylene, and higher α-olefins with nonconjugated vinyl monomers containing polar or reactive functional groups gives so-called 'functional polyolefins', that is, polymer materials with unique mechanical and rheological characteristics, increased thermal and oxidative stability, and controlled hydrophilicity. In the synthesis of functional polyolefins, only coordination polymerization, catalyzed by complex compounds of Group 4 metals, V, Sc, Ni, and Pd is effective. This review summarizes for the first time data on the (co)polymerization of polar vinyl monomers catalyzed by early transition metal complexes, discusses the current results achieved in the catalysis of copolymerization of polar vinyl monomers by Group 10 metal complexes, and considers the prospects for practical application of functional polyolefins and for organization of their industrial production. The bibliography includes 272 references.