Bimetallic effects in homopolymerization of styrene and copolymerization of ethylene and styrenic comonomers: scope, kinetics, and mechanism

This contribution describes the homopolymerization of styrene and the copolymerization of ethylene and styrenic comonomers mediated by the single-site bimetallic "constrained geometry catalysts" (CGCs), (mu-CH2CH2-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me2Si(tBuN)](TiMe2)}2 [EBICGC(TiMe2)2; Ti2], (mu-CH2CH2-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me2Si(tBuN)](ZrMe2)}2 [EBICGC(ZrMe2)2; Zr2], (mu-CH2-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me2Si(tBuN)](TiMe2)}2 [MBICGC(TiMe2)2; C1-Ti2], and (mu-CH2-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me2Si(tBuN)](ZrMe2)}2 [MBICGC(ZrMe2)2; C1-Zr2], in combination with the borate activator/cocatalyst Ph3C+ B(C6F5)4- (B1). Under identical styrene homopolymerization conditions, C1-Ti2 + B1 and Ti2 + B1 exhibit approximately 65 and approximately 35 times greater polymerization activities, respectively, than does monometallic [1-Me2Si(3-ethylindenyl)(tBuN)]TiMe2 (Ti1) + B1. C1-Zr2 + B1 and Zr2 + B1 exhibit approximately 8 and approximately 4 times greater polymerization activities, respectively, than does the monometallic control [1-Me2Si(3-ethylindenyl)(tBuN)]ZrMe2 (Zr1) + B1. NMR analyses show that the bimetallic catalysts suppress the regiochemical insertion selectivity exhibited by the monometallic analogues. In ethylene copolymerization, Ti2 + B1 enchains 15.4% more styrene (B), 28.9% more 4-methylstyrene (C), 45.4% more 4-fluorostyrene (D), 41.2% more 4-chlorostyrene (E), and 31.0% more 4-bromostyrene (F) than does Ti1 + B1. This observed bimetallic chemoselectivity effect follows the same general trend as the pi-electron density on the styrenic ipso carbon (D > E > F > C > B). Kinetic studies reveal that both Ti2 + B1 and Ti1 + B1-mediated ethylene-styrene copolymerizations follow second-order Markovian statistics and tend to be alternating. Moreover, calculated reactivity ratios indicate that Ti2 + B1 favors styrene insertion more than does Ti1 + B1. All the organozirconium complexes (C1-Zr2, Zr2, and Zr1) are found to be incompetent for ethylene-styrene copolymerization, yielding only mixtures of polyethylene and polystyrene. Model compound (mu-CH2CH2-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me2Si(tBuN)][Ti(CH2Ph)2]}2 {EBICGC[Ti(CH2Ph)2]2; Ti2(CH2Ph)4} was designed, synthesized, and structurally characterized. In situ activation studies with cocatalyst B(C6F5)3 suggest an eta(1)-coordination mode for the benzyl groups, thus supporting the proposed polymerization mechanism. For ethylene-styrene copolymerization, polar solvents are found to increase copolymerization activities and coproduce atactic polystyrene impurities in addition to ethylene-co-styrene, without diminishing the comonomer incorporation selectivity. Both homopolymerization and copolymerization results argue that substantial cooperative effects between catalytic sites are operative.     

Catalyst/cocatalyst nuclearity effects in single-site polymerization. Enhanced polyethylene branching and alpha-olefin comonomer enchainment in polymerizations mediated by binuclear catalysts and cocatalysts via a new enchainment pathway

The binuclear "constrained geometry catalyst" (CGC) (mu-CH2CH2-3,3'){(eta5-indenyl )[1-Me2Si(tBuN)](ZrMe2)}2 [EBICGC(ZrMe2)2; Zr2] and the trityl bisborate dianion (Ph3C+)2[1,4-(C6F5)3BC6F4B(C6F5)3]2- (B2) have been synthesized to serve as new types of multicenter homogeneous olefin polymerization catalysts and cocatalysts, respectively. Additionally, the complex [1-Me2Si(3-ethylindenyl)(tBuN)]ZrMe2 (Zr1) was synthesized as a mononuclear control. For the bimetallic catalyst or bisborate cocatalyst, high effective local active site concentrations and catalyst center-catalyst center cooperative effects are evidenced by bringing the catalytic centers together via either covalent or electrostatic bonding. For ethylene homopolymerization at constant conversion, the branch content of the polyolefin products (primarily ethyl branches) is dramatically increased as catalyst or cocatalyst nuclearity is increased. Moreover, catalyst and cocatalyst nuclearity effects are approximately additive. Compared to the catalyst derived from monometallic Zr1 and monofunctional Ph3C+B(C6F5)4- (B1), the active catalyst derived from bimetallic Zr2 and bifunctional B2 produces approximately 11 times more ethyl branches in ethylene homopolymerization via a process which is predominantly intradimer in character. Moreover, approximately 3 times more 1-hexene incorporation in ethylene + 1-hexene copolymerization and approximately 4 times more 1-pentene incorporation in ethylene + 1-pentene copolymerization are observed for Zr2 + B2 versus Zr1 + B1.     

Catalyst/cocatalyst nuclearity effects in single-site olefin polymerization. Significantly enhanced 1-octene and isobutene comonomer enchainment in ethylene polymerizations mediated by binuclear catalysts and cocatalysts

This Communication describes the implementation of a new binuclear homometallic organotitanium "constrained geometry catalyst" (CGC), (mu-CH2CH2-3,3'){ (eta5-indenyl )[1-Me2Si (tBuN)](TiMe2)}2[EBICGC(TiMe2)2; Ti2], together with the bifunctional activators (Ph3C+)2[1,4-(C6F5)3BC6F4B(C6F5)3]2- (B2) and new bisborane 1,4-(C6F5)2BC6F4B(C6F5)2 (BN2) in ethylene + alpha-olefin copolymerization processes. Specifically examined are the comonomers 1-octene and poorly responsive isobutene. Large increases in comonomer enchainment efficiency into the polyethylene microstructure are observed versus the corresponding mononuclear catalyst [1-Me2Si(3-ethylindenyl)(tBuN)]TiMe2 (Ti1) + Ph3C+B(C6F5)4- (B1) or B(C6F5)3 (BN) under identical polymerization conditions. In ethylene + 1-octene copolymerization, 11 times more 1-octene incorporation is observed for Ti2 + B2 vs Ti1 + B1. In ethylene + isobutene copolymerization, 5 times more isobutene incorporation is observed for Ti2 + BN2 vs Ti1 + BN.     

Organotitanium-mediated stereoselective coordinative/insertive homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate

This contribution describes coordinative/insertive stereoregular homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate (MMA) mediated by a highly active single-site organotitanium catalyst. The catalyst system used to effect these polymerizations of nonpolar and polar olefinic monomers is prepared by in situ Zn reduction of the precursor derived from the reaction (Me(5)Cp)TiMe(3) + Ph(3)C(+)B(C(6)F(5))(4)(-). The resulting catalyst produces polystyrene (>95% syndiotactic, 170 000 g/mol molecular weight; s-PS) by the established coordinative/insertive pathway. The same catalyst mediates polymerization of MMA to poly(methyl methacrylate) (>65% syndiotactic, >70 000 g/mol molecular weight; s-PMMA) by a group transfer protocol-like (GTP-like) pathway (1,4 insertion mechanism). Under optimal conditions, this catalyst also mediates the copolymerization of MMA + styrene (1:19 ratio) at 50 degrees C to yield random approximately 80% coisotactic poly[styrene-co-(methyl methacrylate)] (coiso-PSMMA) which contains approximately 4% MMA. Control experiments argue that a single-site Ti catalyst is the active species for the copolymerization. The catalyst formation process is quite general, and a variety of reducing agents can be substituted for Zn and still effect copolymerization. Control experiments also indicate that known noncoordination copolymerization mechanisms (i.e., ionic or radical) cannot explain this copolymerization. We suggest a new mechanism involving sequential conjugate addition steps to explain these copolymerization results.     

Coordination copolymerization of severely encumbered isoalkenes with ethylene: enhanced enchainment mediated by binuclear catalysts and cocatalysts

This contribution describes the implementation of the binuclear organotitanium "constrained geometry catalysts" (CGCs), (mu-CH(2)CH(2)-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me(2)Si((t)()BuN)](TiMe(2))}(2)[EBICGC(TiMe(2))(2); Ti(2)] and (mu-CH(2)-3,3'){(eta(5)-indenyl)[1-Me(2)Si((t)BuN)](TiMe(2))}(2)[MBICGC(TiMe(2))(2); C1-Ti(2)], in combination with the bifunctional bisborane activator 1,4-(C(6)F(5))(2)BC(6)F(4)B(C(6)F(5))(2) (BN(2)) in ethylene + olefin copolymerization processes. Specifically examined are the classically poorly responsive 1,1-disubstituted comonomers, methylenecyclopentane (C), methylenecyclohexane (D), 1,1,2-trisubstituted 2-methyl-2-butene (E), and isobutene (F). For the first three comonomers, this represents the first report of their incorporation into a polyethylene backbone via a coordination polymerization process. C and D are incorporated via a ring-unopened pathway, and E is incorporated via a novel pathway involving 2-methyl-1-butene enchainment in the copolymer backbone. In ethylene copolymerization, Ti(2) + BN(2) enchains approximately 2.5 times more C, approximately 2.5 times more D, and approximately 2.3 times more E than the mononuclear catalyst analogue [1-Me(2)Si(3-ethylindenyl)((t)BuN)]TiMe(2) (Ti(1)) + B(C(6)F(5))(3) (BN) under identical polymerization conditions. Polar solvents are found to weaken the catalyst-cocatalyst ion pairing, thus influencing the comonomer enchainment selectivity.     

助催化剂对N催化剂催化乙烯-苯乙烯共聚反应的影响

研究了N催化剂分别与助催化剂AlEt3和Et2 AlOAlEt2 结合 ,在给电子体二苯基二甲氧基硅烷 (DDS)存在下 ,催化乙烯和苯乙烯共聚合反应 ,考察了Al Ti摩尔比对共聚反应的影响 .共聚产物经过丁酮 (MEK)和四氢呋喃 (THF)连续抽提 ,表明共聚产物包括无规聚苯乙烯 ,乙烯 苯乙烯共聚物和乙烯均聚物 .乙烯 苯乙烯共聚物分别用1 3C NMR、DSC和GPC进行表征 ,结果表明 ,助催化剂不仅对N催化剂的聚合活性有影响 ,而且对共聚产物中各级份的重量比例也有显著影响 ;特别是对乙烯 苯乙烯共聚物中苯乙烯的含量、熔点 (Tm)和玻璃化转变温度 (Tg)有明显的影响 .     

Penultimate effect in ethylene-styrene copolymerization and the discovery of highly active ethylene-styrene catalysts with increased styrene reactivity

For the first time commercially relevant catalysts for the copolymerization of ethylene and styrene have been identified. The catalysts maintain very high copolymer efficiencies at relatively high reactor temperatures without sacrificing styrene comonomer reactivity. The observations which led to this discovery are based upon the kinetic analysis of ethylene-styrene copolymerization using constrained geometry catalyst (eta5-C5Me4)(SiMe2-N-t-Bu)TiMe2 (1). This analysis revealed a substantial styrene penultimate monomer effect. Inherent reactivity of 1 toward styrene is greatly improved when the penultimate monomer on the growing polymer chain is styrene rather than ethylene. The presence of a penultimate styrene effect led to the hypothesis that catalysts bearing aromatic moieties in close proximity to the active site could lead to enhancement of styrene reactivity for this catalyst family. This hypothesis was born out by two new constrained geometry catalysts, one having two phenyl substituents placed in the 3 and 3' positions of the Cp ring (2) and the other with a 2,2'-biphenyl fragment attached to the Cp ring (3). Both catalysts exhibit higher activity than that of 1 and, more importantly, much higher styrene reactivity leading to copolymers with substantially increased styrene content (21.5% for 2, 30.6% for 3) as compared to 1 (11%) under the same polymerization conditions. Analysis of the X-ray crystal structures of 2 and 3 shows no overriding structural arguments for the increased performance. Outstanding polymerization characteristics achieved with 3 make this catalyst a candidate for commercial production of ethylene-styrene resins in a solution process.     

Scandium half-metallocene-catalyzed syndiospecific styrene polymerization and styrene-ethylene copolymerization: unprecedented incorporation of syndiotactic styrene-styrene sequences in styrene-ethylene copolymers

On treatment with 1 equiv of [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4], the scandium half-sandwich bis(alkyl) complex (C5Me4SiMe3)Sc(CH2SiMe3)2(THF) showed extremely high activity (up to 1.36 x 104 kg of sPS/(mol Sc.h)) and syndiospecificity (rrrr > 99%) for the polymerization of styrene at room temperature in toluene. More remarkably, this catalyst system could also effect the syndiospecific copolymerization of styrene with ethylene to yield styrene-ethylene copolymers having syndiotactic styrene-styrene sequences. The styrene content in the copolymers could be easily controlled by changing the styrene feed and could reach higher than 80 mol %. This is the first example of formation of such types of styrene-ethylene copolymers, which are expected to show novel properties.     

Stereospecific styrene polymerization and ethylene–styrene copolymerization with titanocenes containing a pendant amine donor

A series of monocyclopentadienyl titanium complexes containing a pendant amine donor on a Cp group ( A = CpTiCl₃, B = Cp^NTiCl₃, C = Cp^NTiCl₂TEMPO, for Cp = C₅H₅, Cp^N = C₅H₄CH₂CH₂N(CH₃)₂, and TEMPO = 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxyl) are investigated for styrene homopolymerization and ethylene–styrene (ES) copolymerization. When activated by methylaluminoxane at 70 °C, complexes with the amine group ( B and C ) are active for styrene homopolymerization and afford syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS). The copolymerizations of ethylene and styrene with B and C yield high‐molecular weight ES copolymer, whereas complex A yields mixtures of sPS and polyethylene, revealing the critical role that the pendant amine has on the polymerization behavior of the complexes. Fractionation, NMR, and DSC analyses of the ES copolymers generated from B and C suggest that they contain sPS. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1579–1585, 2010     

Living copolymerization of ethylene with styrene catalyzed by (cyclopentadienyl)(ketimide)titanium(IV) complex--MAO catalyst system

The copolymerization of ethylene with styrene by Cp*TiCl2(N=CtBu2) (Cp* = C5Me5) took place in a living manner in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO) cocatalyst, although the homopolymerization of neither ethylene nor styrene proceeded in a living manner. Both the cyclopentadienyl fragment (Cp') and the anionic donor ligand (X) in Cp'TiCl2(X) directly affect the copolymerization behavior, the catalytic activities, as well as the styrene incorporation; only the above set showed a living copolymerization. No styrene repeating units were observed in the resultant poly(ethylene-co-styrene)s, suggesting that a certain degree of the styrene insertion inhibited the chain transfer in this catalysis.     

MgCl_2负载双金属复合催化剂制备宽分子量分布聚乙烯

聚乙烯的分子量和分子量分布对其熔体的流变性能和产品的力学性能有显著影响．分子量分布的变化,尤其是分子量分布末端部位的变化,都会对材料的注塑行为产生大的影响［１］．为了控制Ｚｉｅｇｌｅｒ催化剂制备的聚乙烯分子量分布而改善聚合工艺的报道很多［２～４］,工业生产中可利用多步聚合工艺来获得宽分子量分布的聚乙烯［５,６］,但这种方法工艺复杂,成本高．美国ＵＣＣ公司利用复合的ＴｉＶ和ＺｒＶ催化剂在气相法Ｕｎｉｐｏｌ工艺装置上首次成功的合成出了双峰高分子量聚乙烯产品［７,８］,由于采用Ｕｎｉｐｏｌ生产工艺…     

用SN型催化剂合成苯乙烯一丙烯嵌段共聚物的研究──Ⅰ．聚合条件对共聚合反应的影响

用稀土化合物改性的钛系载体催化剂（ＳＮ催化剂）进行苯乙烯和丙烯顺序嵌段共聚合（Ｓｅｑｕｅｎｔｉａｌｂｌｏｃｋｃｏｐｏｌｙｍｅｒｉｚａｔｉｏｎ）的研究．考察了苯乙烯预聚时间、单体比、外加给电子体（ＥＢ）、烷基铝浓度、催化剂浓度和聚合温度等条件对共聚合的影响．发现外加酯（ＥＢ）降低了共聚合反应催化活性，在ＥＢ／Ｔｉ摩尔比为５范围内，外酯有助于提高嵌段共聚物（ｉＰＳ—ｂ—ｉＰＰ）中ＰＳ段和ＰＰ段的等规度及增加苯乙烯链节含量．ＳＮ型催化剂对苯乙烯一丙烯嵌段共聚合有较高的催化活性，催化效率在１００ｇ聚合物／ｇ－Ｔｉ以上．共聚物通过溶剂革取分级除去均聚物后，所得嵌段共聚物中苯乙烯链节含量可在１５～８５ｍｏｌ％之间调节．其结构表征续见第ＩＩ报．     

乙烯与丙烯在负载型钛系催化剂上的共聚合行为

乙烯与α-烯烃配位共聚速率明显高于乙烯均聚速率~[1～4],其原因可归结为化学促进作用或单体扩散的影响.本文通过考察乙烯-丙烯在负载型钛系催化剂上的共聚动力学行为、催化剂-聚合物颗粒形态及改变聚合中单体的组成,以期进一步了解乙丙共聚反应的特征. 1 实验部分 1.1 催化剂及聚合 载体催化剂由无水MgCl_2、TiCl_4和EB共研磨而成,使用前用     

α‐olefin homopolymerization and ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization catalysed by novel ansa‐group IV complexes/MAO system

The catalytic properties of a set of ansa‐complexes (R‐Ph)₂C(Cp)(Ind)MCl₂ [R = ^tBu, M = Ti ( 3 ), Zr ( 4 ) or Hf ( 5 ); R = MeO, M = Zr ( 6 ), Hf ( 7 )] in α‐olefin homopolymerization and ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization were explored in the presence of MAO (methylaluminoxane). Complex 4 with steric bulk ^tBu group on phenyl exhibited remarkable catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization. It was 1.6‐fold more active than complex 11 [Ph₂C(Cp)(Ind)ZrCl₂] at 11 atm ethylene pressure and was 4.8‐fold more active at 1 atm pressure. The introduction of bulk substituent ^tBu into phenyl groups not only increased the catalytic activity greatly but also enhanced the content of 1‐hexene in ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization. The highest 1‐hexene incorporation was 25.4%. In addition, 4 was also active for propylene and 1‐hexene homopolymerization, respectively, and low isotactic polypropylene (mmmm = 11.3%) and isotactic polyhexene (mmmm = 31.6%) were obtained. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Yttrium-catalyzed cis-1,4-Selective Polymerization of 2-(4-Halophenyl)-1,3-butadienes and Their Copolymerization with Isoprene

Polymerization of 2-(4-halophenyl)-1,3-butadiene(2-XPB) and their copolymerization with isoprene using a yttrium catalyst have been examined. The β-diketiminato yttrium bis(alkyl) complex(1) activated by [Ph₃ C][B(C₆ F₅)₄] and Ali Bu3 shows high cis-1,4-selectivity(>98%) for the polymerization of 2-XPB(2-XPB = 2-FPB, 2-Cl PB and 2-Br PB) to afford halogenated plastic poly(dienes) with glass transition temperatures of30–55 ℃. Moreover, the copolymeri...     

Synthesis, structural characterization, catalytic properties, and theoretical study of compounds containing an Al-O-M (M = Ti, Hf) core

Two single oxygen-bridged heterobimetallic oxides of Al(III) with group 4 metals (Ti, Hf) have been prepared. The reaction of LAlMeOH (1) [L = CH(N(Ar)(CMe))2, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3] with dimethylmetallocenes of Ti and Hf in toluene (80 degrees C) and ether (room temperature), respectively, resulted in the formation of LAl(Me)(mu-O)M(Me)Cp2 [M = Ti (2), Hf (3)] in moderate to good yield. Compounds 2 and 3 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR (1H and 13C), EI-MS, and single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. Furthermore, compound 2 showed good catalytic activity in ethylene and styrene homopolymerization, while compound 3 is less active in ethylene polymerization. The styrene polymerization yields atactic polystyrene.     

Ethylene-styrene copolymerization with constrained geometry catalysts: a density functional study

A density functional theory (DFT) study of the ethylene-styrene copolymerization process with titanium-based constrained geometry catalyst (CGC) is presented. To establish the difference between simplified CGC or real CGC models, i.e., considering all ligands of the catalyst, we have performed calculations for ethylene and styrene insertions in both models. Thus, we have used two different DFT functional, BP86 and B3L YP along with two basis set, LANL 2DZ (without polarization functions) and DZVP (including polarization functions). We have noted certain differences between theoretical results published by other authors and our theoretical and experimental data.     

Cationic benzyl zirconium heteroscorpionates: synthesis and characterization of a novel ethylene polymerisation catalyst showing an unusual temperature dependent polymerisation mechanism

The reaction of (bpzmp)Zr(CH2Ph)3 with B(C6F5)3 produces the active ethylene polymerisation catalyst [(bpzmp)Zr(CH2Ph)2]+[PhCH2B(C6F5)3]- which showed a temperature dependent polymerisation mechanism identified by variable temperature 1H NMR analysis of the catalyst solution.     

Binuclear titanium complexes coordinated by rigid p-phenylene linked bis-β-carbonylenamine: Synthesis,structure, ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with 1,5-hexadiene

Binuclear complexes for olefin polymerization have attracted great attention due to their unique catalytic properties compared with their mononuclear counterparts. Here a series of p-phenylene-bridgedbis-β-carbonylenamine ligands and their binuclear Ti complexes Ti ₂ L ¹ – Ti ₂ L ³ were prepared and characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The binuclear complex Ti ₂ L ³ bearing an octylthio sidearm was further investigated by single-crystalX-ray diffraction, which revealed that the ligand was of β-imino enol form, with one titanium atom ligated with six other atoms, forming a deformed octahedral configuration. Furthermore, the ligand in Ti ₂ L ³ adopted a cis configuration, which was different from the trans configuration of its m-phenylene-bridged derivatives. These binuclear complexes ( Ti ₂ L ¹ – Ti ₂ L ³ ) could catalyze ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with 1,5-hexadiene(1,5-HD) efficiently under modified methylaluminoxane activation. Compared with the mononuclear complex TiL ⁵ , the binuclear catalysts were thermally more stable and showed higher activity for ethylene polymerization at higher temperatures. The activity of these titanium complexes for the copolymerization of ethylene with 1,5-HD were over 10⁶ g/mol Ti.h.atm, almost twice as high as for homopolymerization. Compared with the mononuclear analogue TiL ⁵ and the m-substituted binuclear derivative Ti ₂ L ⁴ , binuclear catalyst Ti ₂ L ² showed higher activity and insertion rate of the comonomer. The activity of Ti ₂ L ² was two to three times higher than that of TiL ⁵ and Ti ₂ L ⁴ , indicating that p-substituted binuclear catalysts generate clear bimetallic synergistic effect for the copolymerization of ethylene and 1,5-HD. Meanwhile, 1,5-HD takes 1,3-cyclopentyl form in the polymer by 1,3-insertion. The copolymer prepared by binuclear catalysts had higher molecular weight and wider molecular weight distribution than that prepared by the mononuclear catalyst.     

Rare-earth metal bis(alkyl)s that bear a 2-pyridinemethanamine ligand: dual catalysis of the polymerizations of both isoprene and ethylene

New pyridinemethanamido-ligated rare-earth metal bis(alkyl) complexes [C(5)H(4)N-CH(Me)-NC(6)H(3)((i)Pr)(2)]Ln(CH(2)SiMe(3))(2)(THF) (Ln = Sc (1), Y (2), Lu (3)) have been prepared at 0 °C via a protonolysis reaction between rare-earth metal tris(alkyl)s and the corresponding 2-pyridinemethanamine ligand and fully characterized by NMR and X-ray diffraction analysis. Bis(alkyl) complexes 1-3 are analogous monomers of THF solvate, where the ligand bonds to the metal center in a κN:κN-bidentate mode. Complexes 1-3, in combination with [Ph(3)C][B(C(6)F(5))(4)], showed a good activity towards isoprene polymerization to give polyisoprene with a main 3,4-selectivity (60%-66%); in particular the yttrium catalyst system, 2/[Ph(3)C][B(C(6)F(5))(4)], displayed a living mode. By contrast, only the precatalyst 2 exhibited activity for isoprene polymerization in the presence of [PhNMe(2)H][B(C(6)F(5))(4)]. The influence of alkylaluminium (AlR(3), R = Me, Et, (i)Bu) and the metal center on the polymerization of isoprene was also studied, and it was found that addition of AlMe(3) to the catalyst systems could lead to a dramatic change in the microstructure of the polymer from 3,4-specific to 1,4-selective (89%-95%), but the ionic radius of the central metal had little influence on the selectivity. In addition, by using the 1(Sc)/[Ph(3)C][B(C(6)F(5))(4)]/10 Al(i)Bu(3), the polymerization of ethylene was also achieved with moderate activity (up to 3.2× 10(5) g (PE) mol(Sc)(-1) h(-1) bar(-1)) and narrow polydispersity (M(w)/M(n) = 1.19-1.28); while the effect of temperature on the activity was discussed. Such dual catalysis for the polymerizations of both isoprene and ethylene is rare.