Polymeric metal complexes are constructed by combining living polymerization techniques with coordination chemistry. These metal-centered linear and star-shaped materials combine the film-forming properties of polymers with optical and other features of metal complexes. A metal template approach described herein offers a versatile alternative to the metalloinitiator method previously employed to generate Ru tris(bipyridine)-centered polystyrenes. Specifically, 4,4＇-bis(chloromethyl)-2,2＇-bipyridine and 4-chloromethyl-2,2＇-bipyridine were utilized as initiators for both the bulk and solution polymerization of styrene using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Narrow dispersity polystyrenes with bipyridine (bpy) binding sites at the end (bpyPS) or center (bpyPS(2)) of the chains result. These bpyPS(n) macroligands were chelated to Ru precursor complexes, RuL2Cl2 (L = bpy, phen) or Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl-2, to form complexes with one or three bpyPS(n) macroligands, respectively. Linear polymers, [RuL2(bpyPS(n))](2+), with Ru chromophores at the end or center of the chains, as well as Ru-centered star-shaped polymers, [Ru(bpyPS(n))(3)](2+), with three and six arms were produced. In all cases, dehalogenation with AgPF6 was crucial for efficient macroligand chelation. The relative efficiency of these reactions was estimated by UV/vis spectroscopy. Molecular weight determination by GPC was coupled with in-line diode array UV/vis spectroscopy to confirm the presence of the Ru chromophores in the eluting polymer fractions. The convergent macroligand chelation approach to star-shaped polymeric metal complexes typically works best for polymers of low to moderate molecular weights (

Keywords:TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION;BRANCHED POLYOXAZOLINECOMPLEX;MULTIFUNCTIONAL INITIATORS;SUPRAMOLECULAR INITIATORS;BIPYRIDINE DERIVATIVES;REVERSIBLE HYDROGEL;BLOCK-COPOLYMERS;EXCITED-STATES;MOLTEN-SALTS;LIGANDS

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