Syndiotactic polymerization of styrene with cyclopentadienyltribenzyloxytitanium/methylaluminoxane catalyst

✍ Scribed by Qing Wu; Zhong Ye; Shangan Lin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 285 KB
• Volume: 198
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1022-1352
• DOI: 10.1002/macp.1997.021980611

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Syndiotactic polystyrene was efficiently prepared in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst composed of (η^5^‐cyclopentadienyl)tribenzyloxytitanium and methylaluminoxane (MAO) as a cocatalyst. Influences of various polymerization conditions, e.g., [Ti]. [MAO], [St], temperature and the content of retained trimethylaluminium (TMA) in MAO on the catalytic activity, syndiotacticity and molecular weight of the polymer were studied. It was found that the retained TMA plays an important role in the polymerization. Lowering the retained TMA content in MAO decreases the activity of the catalyst remarkably. Addition of external alkylaluminium (TMA or triisobutylaluminium) into the catalyst system with MAO containing low amounts of retained TMA promotes styrene polymerization.