Catalytic diversity of diene complexes of niobium and tantalum on polymerizations of ethylene,norbornene, and methyl methacrylate

Half‐metallocene diene complexes of niobium and tantalum catalyzed three‐types of polymerization: (1) the living polymerization of ethylene by niobium and tantalum complexes, MCl₂(η⁴‐1,3‐diene)(η⁵‐C₅R₅) ( 1‐4 ; M = Nb, Ta; R = H, Me) combined with an excess of methylaluminoxane; (2) the stereoselective ring opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene by bis(benzyl) tantalum complexes, Ta(CH₂Ph)₂(η⁴‐1,3‐butadiene)(η⁵‐C₅R₅) ( 11 : R = Me; 12 : R = H) and Ta(CH₂Ph)₂(η⁴‐o‐xylylene)(η⁵‐C₅Me₅) ( 16 ); and (3) the polymerization of methyl methacrylate by butadiene‐diazabutadiene complexes of tantalum, Ta(η²‐RN=CHCH=NR)(η⁴‐1,3‐butadiene)(η⁵‐C₅Me₅) ( 25 : R = p‐methoxyphenyl; 26 : R = cyclohexyl) in the presence of an aluminum compound ( 24 ) as an activator of the monomer.     

Investigation of the polymerization behavior of polysiloxane-bridged dinuclear zirconocenes as model compounds for a heterogenized metallocene at the silica surface

The polymerization of ethylene was studied by using a series of polysiloxane-bridged dinuclear zirconocenes [(SiMe₂O)_nSiMe₂(C₅H₄)₂][(C₉H₇)ZrCl₂]₂ ( 7 , n = 1 ; 8 , n = 2; 9 , n = 3), the corresponding mononuclear zirconocene (C₅H₅)(C₉H₇)ZrCl₂, 10 , and the pentamethylene-bridged dinuclear zirconocene [(CH₂)₅(C₅H₄)₂][(C₉H₇)-ZrCl₂]₂, 13 . From the polymerization studies using these catalysts it was found that (i) activities of the polysiloxane dinuclear zirconocenes 7–9 wre lower than that of the corresponding mononuclear zirconocene 10 , (ii) molecular weights of polyethylenes produced by the dinuclear metallocenes are greater than that of polyethylene produced by the mononuclear metallocene, (iii) the complex 9 holding the longest bridging ligand exhibited the highest activity but produced a polymer having the smallest molecular weight among the polysiloxane-bridged dinuclear zirconocenes, and (iv) the pentamethylene-bridged dinuclear metallocene 13 showed higher activity than the complexes 7–9 and the mononuclear zirconocene 10 . The formation of the lowest molecular weight of polyethylene by 9 was attributed to the influence of electron withdrawal caused by the Lewis acid–base interaction between the acidic aluminum of the cocatalyst and the basic oxygen at the polysiloxane linkage as well as the lack of a steric problem. An increase in steric congestion around the metal center led to not only a decrease in catalytic activity due to preventing facile monomer access to the active site but also an increase in the molecular weight of polyethylenes due to supressing β-H elimination. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3717–3728, 1997     

Elaboration of rac‐Like Active Species from Lewis Base Functionalized Unbridged Zirconocenes for Isospecific Propylene Polymerization

A series of ortho or meta Lewis base functionalized unbridged zirconocenes, [{1‐(E_n‐Ph)‐3,4‐Me₂C₅H₂}₂ZrCl₂] (E=NMe₂, OMe; n=1, 2), and a half‐functionalized zirconocene, [{1‐(p‐Me₂NC₆H₄)‐3,4‐Me₂C₅H₂}{1‐(p‐tolyl)‐3,4‐Me₂C₅H₂}ZrCl₂], were prepared. The crystal structures of these compounds determined by X‐ray diffraction revealed the presence of only C₂‐symmetric rac‐like isomers in the asymmetric units. In combination with methylaluminoxane (MAO) cocatalyst, the meta‐functionalized complexes afforded mixtures of polymers that exhibit multimelting transition temperatures and broad molecular‐weight distributions (MWDs) in propylene polymerization at atmospheric monomer pressure, whereas the ortho‐functionalized complexes did not give rise to polymerization. Stepwise solvent extraction of the polymer mixtures showed that the polymers consist of amorphous, moderately isotactic, and highly isotactic portions, the weight ratio of which is dependent on the reaction temperature. ¹³C NMR spectral analysis indicated that the [mmmm] methyl pentad value of the isotactic portion reached around 90 %. Among the meta‐functionalized zirconocenes, the di‐OMe‐substituted one afforded the largest amount of the isotactic portion at all temperatures, and the portion comprised 82 wt % of the crude polymer obtained at 25 °C. In contrast, propylene polymerization with the half‐functionalized unbridged zirconocene resulted in the formation of nearly atactic polypropylene with a narrow MWD of around 2. These results corroborate the proposition that the rigid rac‐like cation–anion ion pair of type [rac‐L₂ZrP]⁺[Me‐MAO]^? generated in situ, through Lewis acid–base interactions between the functional groups and [Me‐MAO]^?, is responsible for the isospecific propylene polymerization with the given class of functionalized unbridged zirconocenes and further indicate that the formation of such ion pairs can be favored by difunctionalization at the meta position of the phenyl ring with OMe groups.     

Reactions of Dienes with a Mo(0) Complex with Tetraphosphine Coligand [Mo(P4)(Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2)] (P4 = Meso‐o‐C6H4(PPhCH2CH2PPh2)2)

Reaction of tetraphosphine complex [Mo(κ⁴‐P4)(Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂)] (1; P4 = meso‐o‐C₆H₄‐(PPhCH₂CH₂PPh₂)₂) with E‐1,3‐pentadiene in toluene at 60 °C gave the η⁴‐diene complex [Mo(η⁴‐E‐1,3‐pentadiene)(κ⁴‐P4)] (2), which is present as a mixture of two isomers due to the orientation of the Me group in the diene ligand. Treatment of 1 with Z‐1,3‐pentadien also resulted in the formation of 2 as the sole product after heating the reaction mixture at 90 °C. Whereas the reaction of 1 with 1,3‐cyclohexadiene at 60 °C afforded the η⁴‐diene complex [Mo(η⁴‐cyclohexadiene)(κ⁴‐P4)] (6), that with cyclopentadiene led to the C‐H bond scission product [η⁵‐C₅H₅)MoH(κ³‐P4)] (7). Detailed structures were determined by X‐ray crystallography for 2, 6,and 7, and fluxional feature of 6 in solution was clarified based on the VT‐NMR studies.     

Triisobutylaluminum as cocatalyst for zirconocenes. II. Triisobutylaluminum as a component of a cocatalyst system and as an effective cocatalyst for olefin polymerization derived from dimethylated zirconocenes

An investigation of the catalytic behavior of the dimethylated zirconocenes Me₂SiCp*N^tBuZrMe₂ [Cp* = C₅(CH₃)₄; 1Me ], Me₂SiCp₂ZrMe₂ ( 2Me ), Cp₂ZrMe₂ ( 3Me ), Ind₂ZrMe₂ ( 4Me ), Me₂SiInd₂ZrMe₂ ( 5Me ), Et(2-MeInd)₂ZrMe₂ ( 6Me ), and Me₂Si(2-MeInd)₂ZrMe₂ ( 7Me ) with the combined activator triisobutylaluminum (TIBA)/CPh₃B(C₆F₅)₄ (Al/Zr = 250; B/Zr = 1) in ethylene polymerizations at increased monomer pressures (5–11 bar, 30 °C) was carried out. Sterically opened zirconocenes in ternary catalysts gave rise to active species effective in the formation of low molecular weight polyethylenes (PEs). These active species tended to increase the PE molecular weight [ 1Me (2100) < 2Me (20,000) < 5Me (89,000) < 3Me (94,500)] under similar conditions. PE obtained with 4Me showed a bimodal gel permeation chromatography curve with a 64% peak area [weight-average molecular weight (M_w) = 43,000] and a 36% peak area (M_w = 255,000). The increase in sterical demands from the zirconocenes was also demonstrated by the reduction of the chain transfer to monomer, the reinsertion of vinyl-ended PE chains, and their ability for isomerization. These reactions were most pronounced for the zirconocenes 1Me and 2Me . The active species responsible for the formation of low molecular weight PEs deactivated quickly. The zirconocenes 6Me , 7Me , and (2-PhInd)₂ZrMe₂ ( 8Me ) bearing substituent at the 2-position of the indenyl ring was activated with TIBA alone, yielding active species effective in ethylene and propylene polymerizations. PEs formed with 6Me – 8Me complexes activated with TIBA had high molecular weights. An increase in the Al/Zr ratio in the catalytic system 8Me /TIBA from 50 to 300 led to an enhancement of the molecular weight of polypropylene (PP) samples from oligomeric products to an viscosity-average molecular weight of 220,000. The increase in the molecular weights of PPs with an increase in the propylene concentration was also observed. An analysis of the catalytic performance of the 8Me /TIBA system showed first-order dependency of the initial polymerization rates on the TIBA concentration and close to second-order dependency on propylene. The second-order dependency on the monomer concentration is explained in terms of the monomer participation in the initiation step of the polymerization reaction. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1915–1930, 2001     

The relationship between catalyst precursors and chain end groups in homogeneous propene polymerization catalysis

The chain transfer to monomer reactions promoted by primary and secondary growing chains in the propene polymerization promoted by ansa‐zirconocenes and postmetallocene precursors are studied by using DFT methods. From the theoretical results it comes out that the prevalence of propene insertion over β‐hydrogen transfer to the monomer decreases drastically in the presence of a secondary chain. Furthermore, we explained the reason why C₂‐symmetric metallocene catalysts promote the selective formation of cis but‐2‐enyls end group after a 2,1 inserted unit whereas for octahedral bis(phenoxy‐imine)titanium‐based catalysts, chain release promotes exclusively the formation of allyl terminated chain end. These results might be useful to design ligand precursors able to obtain not only high M_n PP polymers but also tuned chain end groups to build new polymer architectures. Overall, a more general picture of the enantioselectivity of the chain transfer to monomer processes is reported. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 699–708, 2010     

Synthesis of Copolymers by Living Carbanionic Alternating Copolymerization

The synthesis and characterization of copolymers from styrene and 1,3‐pentadiene (two isomers) are reported. Styrene/1,3‐pentadiene (1:1) copolymerization with carbanion initiator yield living, well‐defined, alternating (r₁ = 0.037, r₂ = 0.056), and highly stereoregular copolymers with 90%–100% trans‐1,4 units, designed M_ns and low Ð_Ms (1.07–1.17). The first‐order kinetic resolution and NMR spectra demonstrate that the copolymers obtained possess strictly alternating structure containing both 1,4‐ and 4,1‐enchaiments. Also a series of copolymers with varying degrees of alternation are synthesized from para‐alkyl substituted styrene derivatives and 1,3‐pentadiene. The degree of alternation is strongly dependent on the polarity of solvent, reaction temperature, type of trans‐cis isomer of 1,3‐pentadiene and para‐substituted group in styrene. The macro zwitterion forms (SPC) through the distribution of electronic charges from the donor (1,3‐pentadiene) to the acceptor (styrenes) are proposed to interpret the carbanion alternating copolymerization mechanism. Owing to the versatility of the carbanion‐initiating reaction, the present alternating strategy based on 1,3‐pentadiene (especially cis isomer) can serve as a powerful tool for precise control of polymer chain microstructure, architecture, and functionalities in one‐pot polymerization.

     

Synthesis of homopolymers and multiblock copolymers by the living ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of norbornenes containing acetyl‐protected carbohydrates with well‐defined ruthenium and molybdenum initiators

The ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornenes containing acetyl‐protected glucose [2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐glucos‐1‐O‐yl 5‐norbornene‐2‐carboxylate ( 1 )] and maltose [2,3,6,2′,3′,4′,6′‐hepta‐O‐acetyl‐maltos‐1‐O‐yl 5‐norbornene‐2‐carboxylate ( 2 )] was explored in the presence of Mo(N‐2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃)(CHCMe₂Ph)(O^tBu)₂ ( A ), Ru(CHPh)(Cl)₂(PCy₃)₂ ( B ; Cy = cyclohexyl), and Ru(CHPh)(Cl)₂(IMesH₂)(PCy₃) ( C ; IMesH₂ = 1,3‐dimesityl‐4,5‐dihydromidazol‐2‐ylidene). The polymerizations promoted by B and A proceeded in a living fashion with exclusive initiation efficiency, and the resultant polymers possessed number‐average molecular weights that were very close to those calculated on the basis of the monomer/initiator molar ratios and narrow molecular weight distributions (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight < 1.18) in all cases. The observed catalytic activity of B was strongly dependent on both the initial monomer concentration and the solvent employed, whereas the polymerization initiated with A was completed efficiently even at low initial monomer concentrations. The polymerization with C also took place efficiently, and even the polymerization with 1000 equiv of 1 was completed within 2 h. First‐order relationships between the propagation rates and the monomer concentrations were observed for all the polymerization runs, and the estimated rate constants at 25 °C increased in the following order: A > C > B . On the basis of these results, we concluded that ROMP with A was more suitable than ROMP with B or C for the efficient and precise preparation of polymers containing carbohydrates. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4248–4265, 2004     

Effect of excess halide on the palladium‐catalyzed insertion‐triggered radical copolymerization of methyl acrylate and 1‐hexene

[Pd₂(μ‐Cl)₂(C₆F₅)₂(tht)₂] ( 1 ) is a very efficient initiator of the radical polymerization of methyl acrylate, but it is not active in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate or in the copolymerization with 1‐hexene. The addition of an excess of NBu₄Cl to solutions of [Pd₂(μ‐Cl)₂(C₆F₅)₂(tht)₂] ( 1 ) provides an initiator system that copolymerizes methyl acrylate and 1‐hexene by an insertion‐triggered radical mechanism. Random copolymers are obtained with 11% incorporation of 1‐hexene in moderate yields (about 35%). Studies of the decomposition products obtained after the first insertion of methyl acrylate in the Pd? C₆F₅ bond of 1 show that the addition of excess halide in the presence of monomer favors the homolytic cleavage of the Pd? C bond, and the generation of the radicals that are active species in the polymerization, versus alternative evolution pathways. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5682–5691, 2006     

A new insight into the mechanism of 1,3‐dienes cationic polymerization. II. Structure of poly(1,3‐pentadiene) synthesized with tBuCl/TiCl4 initiating system

The microstructure of poly(1,3‐pentadiene) synthesized by cationic polymerization of 1,3‐pentadiene with ^tBuCl/TiCl₄ initiating system is analyzed using one‐dimensional‐ and two‐dimensional‐NMR spectroscopy. It is shown that unsaturated part of chain contains only homo and mixed dyads with trans?1,4‐, trans?1,2‐, and cis?1,2‐structures with regular and inverse (head‐to‐head or tail‐to‐tail) enchainment, whereas cis?1,4‐ and 3,4‐units are totally absent. The new quantitative method for the calculation of content of different structural units in poly(1,3‐pentadiene)s based on the comparison of methyl region of ¹³C NMR spectra of original and hydrogenated polymer is proposed. The signals of tert‐butyl head and chloromethyl end groups are identified in a structure of poly(1,3‐pentadiene) chain and the new approaches for the quantitative calculation of number‐average functionality at the α‐ and ω‐end are proposed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3297–3307     

Diethylbis(2,2′‐bipyridine)iron/MAO. A Very Active and Stereospecific Catalyst for 1,3‐Diene Polymerization

Diethylbis(2,2′‐bipyridine)Fe/MAO is an extremely active catalyst for the polymerization of 1,3‐dienes. Polymers with a 1,2 or 3,4 structure are formed from butadiene, isoprene, (E)‐1,3‐pentadiene and 3‐methyl‐1,3‐pentadiene, while cis‐1,4 polymers are derived from 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐butadiene. The 1,2 (3,4) polymers obtained at 25°C are amorphous, while those obtained below 0°C are crystalline, as was determined by means of X‐ray diffraction. Mechanistic implications of the results are briefly discussed.     

Oligosaccharide Analogues of Polysaccharides,Part 21 , Towards New Cellulose I Mimics: Synthesis of Dialkynyl C‐glucosides of peri‐Substituted Anthraquinone

The bis‐C‐glucoside 2 has been synthesised as the first representative of a series of templated glucosides and cellooligosaccharides that mimick part of the unit cell of cellulose I. As expected, there are, at best, weakly persistent H‐bonds between the two glucosyl residues in (D₆)DMSO and (D₇)DMF solution. The acetylated oct‐1‐ynitol 7 and deca‐1,3‐diynitol 12 were prepared from the gluconolactone 5 (Scheme 1). Coupling of 12 to PhI and 2‐iodothiophene yielded 13 and 14 , respectively, while dimerisation of the benzylated and acetylated deca‐1,3‐diynitols 10 and 12 afforded the bis‐C‐glucosyloctatetrayne 15 and the less stable 16 , respectively. The 2‐glucosylthiophene 17 was obtained by treating the C‐silylated deca‐1,3‐diynitol 9 with Na₂S. Cross‐coupling of (trimethylsilyl)acetylene (TMSA) with 1,8‐bis(triflyloxy)‐9,10‐anthraquinone ( 20 ) at elevated temperature gave the dialkynylated 21 ; its structure was established by X‐ray analysis (Scheme 2). Sequential coupling of 6 or 7 and TMSA to 20 gave the symmetric dialkyne 21 , the mixed dialkynes 23 (from 6 ) and 25 (from 7 ), and the symmetric diglucoside 36 (from 7 ) in modest yields; a stepwise coupling to the acetylated monotriflate 28 proved advantageous. It led to the oct‐1‐ynitol 29 and the deca‐1,3‐diynitol 33 that were transformed into the triflates 30 and 34 , respectively. Coupling of the triflate 34 to the oct‐1‐ynitol 7 gave the unsymmetric bis‐C‐glucoside 35 ; this was obtained in higher yields by coupling the triflate 30 to the deca‐1,3‐diynitol 12 . Coupling of the bistriflate 20 with either 7 or 12 afforded the symmetric bis‐C‐glucosides 36 and 37 , respectively. Deacetylation (KCN in MeOH) of 35 – 37 provided the unsymmetric bis‐C‐glucoside 2 and the symmetric analogues 3 and 4 .     

Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization of 2,5‐dialkyl‐1,4‐divinylbenzene with molybdenum or ruthenium catalysts: Factors affecting the precise synthesis of defect‐free,high‐molecular‐weight trans‐poly(p‐phenylene vinylene)s

Factors affecting the syntheses of high‐molecular‐weight poly(2,5‐dialkyl‐1,4‐phenylene vinylene) by the acyclic diene metathesis polymerization of 2,5‐dialkyl‐1,4‐divinylbenzenes [alkyl = n‐octyl ( 2 ) and 2‐ethylhexyl ( 3 )] with a molybdenum or ruthenium catalyst were explored. The polymerizations of 2 by Mo(N‐2,6‐Me₂C₆H₃) (CHMe₂ Ph)[OCMe(CF₃)₂]₂ at 25 °C was completed with both a high initial monomer concentration and reduced pressure, affording poly(p‐phenylene vinylene)s with low polydispersity index values (number‐average molecular weight = 3.3–3.65 × 10³ by gel permeation chromatography vs polystyrene standards, weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight = 1.1–1.2), but the polymerization of 3 was not completed under the same conditions. The synthesis of structurally regular (all‐trans), defect‐free, high‐molecular‐weight 2‐ethylhexyl substituted poly(p‐phenylene vinylene)s [poly 3 ; degree of monomer repeating unit (DP_n) = ca. 16–70 by ¹H NMR] with unimodal molecular weight distributions (number‐average molecular weight = 8.30–36.3 × 10³ by gel permeation chromatography, weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight = 1.6–2.1) and with defined polymer chain ends (as a vinyl group, ? CH?CH₂) was achieved when Ru(CHPh)(Cl)₂(IMesH₂)(PCy₃) or Ru(CH‐2‐OⁱPr‐C₆H₄)(Cl)₂(IMesH₂) [IMesH₂ = 1,3‐bis(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)‐2‐imidazolidinylidene] was employed as a catalyst at 50 °C. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6166–6177, 2005     

Living anionic polymerization of (E)‐1,3‐pentadiene and (Z)‐1,3‐pentadiene isomers

The anionic polymerization of (E)‐1,3‐pentadiene (EP) and (Z)‐1,3‐pentadiene (ZP) together with mixture of the E/Z isomers are investigated, respectively. The kinetic analysis shows that the activation energy for EP (86.17 kJ/mol) is much higher than that for ZP (59.03 kJ/mol). GPC shows that it is the EP rather than the ZP isomer that undergoes anionic living polymerization affording quantitative products of the polymers with well‐controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions (1.05 ≤? ≤ 1.09). In addition, THF as polar additive has proved its validity to reduce the molecular weight distribution of poly(ZP) from 1.38 to as low as 1.19. The microstructure and sequence distributions of polypentadiene are characterized by ¹H NMR and quantitative ¹³C NMR. Finally, the distinctive reaction activity of two isomers can be elucidated by two different mechanisms which involve the presence of four forms of zwitterions for EP and the typical [1,5]‐sigmatropic hydrogen‐shift phenomenon for ZP. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2291–2301     

Complexation du 2‐[(5‐méthyl­pyrazolyl)méthyle]benzimidazole par les chlorures de cuivre et de cadmium

The structures of dichloro{2‐[(5‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl‐κN²)methyl]‐1H‐1,3‐benzimidazole‐κN³}copper(II), [CuCl₂(C₁₂H₁₂N₄)], and di‐μ‐chloro‐bis(chloro{2‐[(5‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl‐κN²)methyl]‐1H‐1,3‐benzimidazole‐κN³}­cadmium(II)), [Cd₂Cl₄(C₁₂H₁₂N₄)₂], show that these compounds have the structural formula [ML(Cl)₂]_n, where L is 2‐[(5‐methylpyra­zolyl)methyl]benzimidazole. When M is copper, the complex is a monomer (n = 1), with a tetrahedral coordination for the Cu atom. When M is cadmium (n = 2), the complex lies about an inversion centre giving rise to a centrosymmetric dimer in which the Cd atoms are bridged by two chloride ions and are pentacoordinated.     

Copolymerization of ethene with cyclic and other sterically hindered olefins

Sterically hindered olefins like norbornene, dimethanooctahydronaphthalene (DMON), 4‐methylpentene, and 3‐methylbutene can be copolymerised with ethene by metallocene/MAO catalysts. Different C₂‐, C_s‐ and C₁‐symmetric and meso‐zirconocenes were used. Only isolated and alternating norbornene sequences but no norbornene blocks are formed by substituted [Me₂C(Cp‐R)(Flu)]ZrCl₂ catalysts. The alternating microstructure leads to melting points up to 270°C for ethene‐norbornene copolymers and up to 380°C for the semi‐crystalline alternating copolymer of ethene and DMON. Other sterically hindered olefins such as 3‐methylpentene build more blocky structures with high glass transition temperatures. The mechanism for the insertion reaction of the different catalysts is discussed.     

Cyclocopolymerization of 1,4‐pentadiene with ethene in the presence of group‐4 metallocenes

The behaviors of rac‐[CH₂(3‐tert‐butyl‐1‐indenyl)₂]ZrCl₂ ( 1 ) and Cp₂ZrCl₂ ( 2 ) activated by methylaluminoxane in ethene/1,4‐pentadiene copolymerization are compared. In the presence of 1 , inserted methylene‐1,3‐cyclobutane units, a large number of crosslinks, and a small number of methylene‐1,3‐cyclohexane units are obtained. Differently, a polyethene containing only 1,3‐cyclohexane rings is achieved with 2 as the catalytic precursor. Polymer microstructures are compared with those obtained with 1 and 2 in ethene/1,6‐heptadiene copolymerization, which leads only to polyethene containing cyclohexane rings. A tentative rationalization of the experimental data is reported. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5525–5532, 2006     

High polymerization of methyl methacrylate with organonickel/MMAO systems

A series of nickel complexes, including Ni(acac)₂, (C₅H₅)Ni(η³‐allyl), and [NiMe₄Li₂(THF)₂]₂, that were activated with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) exhibited high catalytic activity for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) but showed no catalytic activity for the polymerization of ethylene and 1‐olefins. The resulting polymers exhibited rather broad molecular weight distributions and low syndiotacticities. In contrast to these initiators, the metallocene complexes (C₅H₅)₂Ni, (C₅Me₅)₂Ni, (Ind)₂Ni, and (Me₃SiC₅H₄)₂Ni provided narrower molecular weight distributions at 60 °C when these initiator were activated with MMAO. Half‐metallocene complexes such as (C₅H₅)NiCl(PPh₃), (C₅Me₅)NiCl(PPh₃), and (Ind)NiCl(PPh₃) produced poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with much narrower molecular weight distributions when the polymerization was carried out at 0 °C. Ni[1,3‐(CF₃)₂‐acac]₂ generated PMMA with high syndiotacticity. The NiR(acac)(PPh₃) complexes (R = Me or Et) revealed high selectivity in the polymerization of isoprene that produced 1,2‐/3,4‐polymer at 0 °C exclusively, whereas the polymerization at 60 °C resulted in the formation of cis‐1,4‐rich polymers. The polymerization of ethylene with Ni(1,3‐tBu₂‐acac)₂ and Ni[1,3‐(CF₃)₂‐acac]₂ generated oligo‐ethylene with moderate catalytic activity, whereas the reaction of ethylene with Ni(acac)₂/MMAO produced high molecular weight polyethylene. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4764–4775, 2000     

Synthesis and properties of the polythiourethanes obtained by the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic thiourethanes

The cationic ring‐opening polymerization of a five‐membered thiourethane [3‐benzyl‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione (BOT)] with boron trifluoride etherate afforded the corresponding polythiourethane with a narrow molecular weight distribution in an excellent yield. The molecular weight of the polymers could be controlled by the feed ratio of the monomer to the initiator. A kinetic study of the polymerization revealed that the polymerization rate of BOT (1.3 × 10^?2 L mol^?1 min^?1) was two times larger than that of the six‐membered thiourethane [3‐benzyltetrahydro‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione (BTOT); 6.8 × 10^?3 L mol^?1 min^?1], and the monomer conversion obeyed the first‐order kinetic equation. These observations, along with the successful results in the two‐stage polymerization, supported the idea that this polymerization proceeded in a controlled manner. Block copolymerizations of BOT with BTOT were also carried out to afford the corresponding di‐ and triblock copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions. The order of the 5% weight loss temperatures was as follows: poly(3‐benzyltetrahydro‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione) [poly(BTOT)] > poly(BTOT₅₄‐b‐BOT₄₆) > poly(3‐benzyl‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione) [poly(BOT)]. This indicated that an increase in the BTOT unit content raised the decomposition temperature. The order of the refractive indices was poly(BOT) > poly(BTOT₅₄‐b‐BOT₄₆) > poly(BTOT₅₄‐b‐BOT₄₆‐b‐BTOT₅₀) > poly(BTOT); this was in accord with the order of the sulfur content in the polymer chain. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4795–4803, 2006     

Polymerization of higher α‐olefins using a Cs‐symmetry hafnium metallocene catalyst. Kinetics of the polymerization and microstructural analysis

The C_s‐symmetry hafnium metallocene [(p‐Et₃Si)C₆H₄]₂C(2,7‐di‐tert‐BuFlu)(C₅H₄)Hf(CH₃)₂ and tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) borate dimethylanilinium salt ([B(C₆F₅)₄]^?[Me₂NHPh]⁺) were used as the catalytic system for the polymerization of higher α‐olefins (from hexene‐1 to hexadecene‐1) in toluene at 0 °C. The evolution of the polymerization was studied regarding the variation of the molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and yield with time. The effect of the monomer structure on the polymerization kinetics was established. The role of trioctylaluminum in accelerating the polymerization was investigated. ¹³C NMR spectroscopy was used to study the microstructure of the poly(α‐olefins) by the determination of the pentad monomer sequences. The thermal properties of the polymers were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry, DSC. The results were discussed in connection with the polymer microstructure. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4314–4325, 2009