Effect of ligand in ethylene/styrene copolymerization by [Me2Si(C5Me4)(NR)]TiCl2 (R = tert-Bu, cyclohexyl) and (1,3-Me2C5H3)TiCl2(O-2,6-Pr2C6H3)-MAO catalyst system

Copolymerization of ethylene with styrene using linked cyclopentadienyl-amide titanium(IV) complexes, [Me₂Si(C₅Me₄)(R)]TiCl₂ [R=tert-Bu (1), cyclohexyl (2)], and non-bridged (1,3-Me₂C₅H₃)TiCl₂(O-2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) (3)-MAO catalysts have been explored. Although the catalytic activity by 2 was lower than 1, 2 showed more efficient styrene incorporation than 1 under the same conditions. Moreover, the resultant copolymer prepared by 2 possessed completely different microstructure from those by 1, indicating that the nature of amide ligand affects both styrene incorporation and monomer sequence.