Olefin copolymerization with metallocene catalysts. I. Comparison of catalysts

A number of metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts have been compared for ethylene/propylene copolymerizations to find relationship between the polymerization activities, copolymer structures, and copolymerization reactivity ratio with the catalyst structures. Stereorigid racemic ethylene bis (indenyl) zirconium dichloride and the tetrahydro derivative exhibit very high activity of 10 ⁷ g (mol Zr h bar)^?1, giving copolymers having comonomer compositions about the same as the feed compositions, molecular weights increasing with the increase of ethylene in the feed, random incorporation of comonomers, and narrow molecular weight distribution indicative of a single catalytic species. Nonbridged bis (indenyl) zirconium behaved differently, favoring the incorporation of ethylene over propylene, producing copolymers whose molecular weight decreases with the increase of ethylene in the feed, broad molecular weight distribution, and a methanol soluble fraction. This catalyst system contains two or more active species. Simple methallocene catalysts have much lower polymerization activities. C_pTiCl₂/MAO produced copolymers with tendency toward alternation, whereas Cp₂HfCl₂/MAO gave copolymer containing short blocks of monomers.