Polymerization of 1,3-butadiene on cobalt and nickel halides

Butadiene polymerizes to cis-1,4 polymer on irregularly stacked, halogen-deficient crystals of cobalt(II) or nickel(II) halides. Halogen is removed from the halides by heating the salts under high vacuum or by photolyzing them in the presence of butadiene. Intrinsic viscosity and solubility of the polymer reach a steady state during polymerization. Cobalt chloride produces polymer of higher intrinsic viscosity than nickel chloride, but polymerization on nickel chloride is faster. Catalytic activity is attributed to the presence of ≤0.1% of nickel and cobalt monohalides in the catalyst.