Mixed Aluminum‐Magnesium‐Rare Earth Allyl Catalysts for Controlled Isoprene Polymerization: Modulation of Stereocontrol

Summary: The performances of readily available Ln(allyl)₂Cl(MgCl₂)₂ · (THF)₄ precursors (Ln = Nd, 1 ; Y, 2 ; La, 3 ), in combination with alkyl aluminum activators [MAO, AlMe₃, AlEt₃, Al(iBu)₃], have been studied in isoprene polymerization. The catalyst combination 1 /MAO (1:30) shows a high activity (average TOFs up to ca. 5 × 10⁴ mol (Ip) · mol (Nd)⁻¹ · h⁻¹ at 20 °C) and produces polyisoprene in a controlled fashion with up to 98.5% cis content, number‐average molecular weights in reasonable agreement with calculated values, and relatively narrow polydispersities index ( = 1.20–1.70). The yttrium precursor 2 affords systems with much lower activity and degree of control, but enables the formation of either 1,4‐cis‐enriched (75%) or 1,4‐trans‐enriched (91%) polyisoprenes, simply replacing the MAO activator by AlEt₃ or Al(iBu)₃, respectively.

Formation of 1,4‐cis‐ or 1,4‐trans‐enriched polyisoprenes upon activation with MAO.