The present invention relates to a polymerization process for the control
of the microstructure of polymers and to novel copolymers. An embodiment
of the present invention relates a process of polymerizing first and
second monomers in the presence of a complex comprising at least one of
the monomers. The presence of the complex modifies the relative
reactivity, or cross propagation rate constants, of the monomers in
copolymerization reactions. Embodiments of the present invention allow
the synthesis of polymers with novel stereochemistry and monomer sequence
distribution, for example, but not limited to, copolymers with at least
one segment of alternating monomers, a controlled molecular weight and
narrow molecular weight distribution, or a segment of high concentration
of the first monomer.