A Comparative Study on the Polymerization of α-Olefins Catalyzed by Salen and Salan Zirconium Complexes

✍ Scribed by Maria Strianese; Marina Lamberti; Mina Mazzeo; Claudio Pellecchia

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 164 KB
• Volume: 209
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1022-1352
• DOI: 10.1002/macp.200700514

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A new Salan zirconium complex is synthesized and tested as a precatalyst for the polymerization of ethylene and higher α‐olefins. Its catalytic behavior is compared to that of a previously reported and related Salen zirconium complex. Analysis of the produced polyolefins reveals that the two different catalytic systems produce polymers with the same microstructure: atactic polymers from propene versus highly isotactic polymers from higher α‐olefins. The identification of the end groups indicates a prevailing primary regiochemistry of polyinsertion of the α‐olefins for both Salan and Salen zirconium complexes. These observations strongly suggest the formation of very similar active species in both systems.

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