The copolymerization of norbornene (NB) with methyl acrylate (MA) in the presence of iron (Ⅲ) acetylacetonate ［Fe(acac)3］ associated with a triisobutylaluminum ［Al(i-Bu)3］ catalyst system was investigated.The polymerization was carried out under dry nitrogen in toluene in a glass flask equipped with a rubber septum.For preparing the catalyst system Fe(acac)3 was first dissolved in the reaction solvent

and Al(i-Bu)3 was then added. The monomers were first dissolved in the reaction solvent

and the catalyst was introduced to initiate the polymerization. After a given reaction time

the polymerization mixture was poured into a large amount of methanol containing a few percent of hydrochloric acid to precipitate the polymer. The liquid phase was filtered

and the recovered polymer was dried in vacuo. The characteristics of copolymerization of norbornene and methyl acrylate by Fe(acac)3- Al(i-Bu)3 were studied. T he copolymers were characterized by FTIR

13C-NMR

GPC and elementary analysis. Copolymers with NB content of 12.3 mol%

19.5 mol% and 26.0 mol%

respectively were prepared. The molecular weight of the copolymers was in the range of 0.52×10.5～1.05×10.5

and its distribution index Mw/Mn was in the range of 2.25～2.67. They both decreased with increasing the molar ratio of NB/MA. The copolymerization can be performed in the solvents such as aromatic hydrocarbons. The third composition could exert influence on the copolymerization. The yield of copolymers with a third composition like carbon tetrachloride or 1

4-dioxane and triphenylphosphine was higher than that of copolymers without the third composition. However

the addition of 1

10-phenanthroline or 8-hydroxy quinoline and α

α′-dipyridine decreased the yield. The copolymerization could be obtained at room temperatures

however

increasing reaction temperature caused an increase of the copolymer yield. The yield of copolymer was also changed with the change of Al/Fe molar ratio

and the suitable Al/Fe molar ratio was 25. The copolymer can form porous membrane on cover glass automatically with pore size of 7～15 μm during evaporation of THF from the copolymer solution at room temperature.