Metallocene/mao polymerization catalysts supported on cyclodextrin

By treating cyclodextrin(CD) with methylaluminoxane (MAO such as PMAO or MMAO) or trimethylaluminium (TMA) followed by Cp₂ZrCl₂, CD/PMAO/Cp₂ZrCl₂, CD/MMAO/Cp₂ZrCl₂ and CD/TMA/Cp₂ZrCl₂ catalysts were prepared. The catalysts were analyzed by ¹³C-CP/MAS NMR spectrometer and ICP to examine the structure of catalyst and content of Zr and Al. Ethylene polymerization was conducted with MAO or TMA as cocatalyst. Styrene polymerization was also carried out with α-CD/MMAO/Cp*TiCl₃ and α-CD/TMA/Cp*TiCl₃ catalysts. While the ordinary trialkylaluminium such as TMA as well as MAO can be used as cocatalyst for ethylene polymerization, only MAO could initiate the styrene polymerization with α-CD supported catalysts.     

Polymerization of ethylene over metallocenes confined inside the supercage of a NaY zeolite

Metallocene catalysts entrapped inside the supercages of NaY zeolite were prepared by reacting NaY with methylaluminoxane (MAO) or trimethylaluminium (TMA) and then with Cp₂ZrCl₂ (Cp: cyclopentadienyl) or Cp₂TiCl₂. NaY/MAO/Cp₂ZrCl₂ and NaY/MAO/Cp₂TiCl₂ catalysts could polymerize ethylene. The amount of additional MAO for the polymerization was lowered to a mole ratio of Al/Zr of 186. Molecular weights and melting points of polyethylene polymerized with NaY-supported catalysts were higher than those of polyethylene obtained with homogeneous metallocene catalysts. It could be confirmed by extraction experiments that the metallocene catalyst was confined securely inside the supercage of the NaY zeolite.     

茂钛催化剂聚1-丁烯的合成

茂金属催化烯烃聚合以其高活性、定向性等特点受到广泛重视.Ｋａｍｉｎｓｋｙ[1～4]等用二茂基(Ｃｐ、Ｉｎｄ和Ｆｌｕ)过渡金属(Ｔｉ、Ｚｒ和Ｈｆ)化合物/ＭＡＯ催化剂催化1丁烯聚合,可得到间规(ｓＰＢ)、无规(ａＰＢ)或等规(ｉＰＢ)聚1丁烯.Ｌｉｎ[5]和Ｗｕ[6]分别用单茂基的ＣｐＴｉ(ＯＰｒ)3/ＭＡＯ和ＣｐＴｉ(ＯＢｚ)3/ＭＡＯ催化剂进行丙烯聚合,都得到无规聚丙烯(ａＰＰ),并研究了催化体系中Ｔｉ氧化态分布,认为Ｔｉ+4有利于α烯烃聚合.有关用单茂钛化合物/ＭＡＯ催化体系催化1丁烯聚合的研究目前较少文献报道.本文用新型茂钛催化剂—…     

Activation of hafnocene catalyzed polymerization of 1-hexene with MAO and borate

A study of 1-hexene polymerization with ethylene-bis(9-fluorenyl) hafnium dichloride has been carried out using two different cocatalyst systems, methyl-aluminoxane/trimethylaluminum (MAO/TMA) and tris-isobutyl-aluminum/N,N-dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) borate (TIBA/borate). When MAO/TMA was used, 1-hexene polymerized into a low molar mass poly(1-hexene) with low catalytic activity. Activation with TIBA/borate increased polymerization activity drastically as well as the molar mass of the polymers. In order to analyze differences in the activity profiles, UV-Vis spectroscopy was employed to investigate ligand to metal charge transitions (LMCT) of the hafnocene dichloride during the activation process. The low catalytic activity and the fast chain transfer to the cocatalyst with MAO/TMA may originate from strong bonding between the metallocene cation and the MAO/TMA species thus obstructing monomer coordination and insertion.     

Polystyrene-supported metallocene catalysts for olefin polymerizations

Several kinds of polystyrene-supported metallocene catalysts were prepared and used in the polymerizations of propylene and ethylene with methylaluminoxane (MAO) as cocatalyst. It was found that these catalysts are stable even at 70°C. They display fairly high activities when the polymerizations are conducted at high temperatures.     

Novel Complex Catalyst of η3‐(Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)dimethylaluminum/Titanium(IV) Butoxide (Cp*AlMe2/Ti(OBu)4) for Syndiotactic Polystyrene

A novel metallocene catalyst was prepared from the reaction of (η³‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)dimethylaluminum (Cp*AlMe₂) and titanium(IV) n‐butoxide Ti(OBu)₄. The resulting titanocene Cp*Ti(OBu)₃ was combined with methylaluminoxane (MAO)/tri‐iso‐butylaluminum (TIBA) to carry out the syndiotactic polymerization of styrene. The resulting syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) possesses high syndiotacticity according to ¹³C NMR. Catalytic activity and the molecular weight of the resulting sPSs were discussed in terms of reaction temperature, concentration of MAO, amounts of scavenger TIBA added, and the hydrogen pressure applied during polymerization.     

STEREOCHEMICAL CONTROL IN PROPYLENE POLYMERIZATION CATALYZED BY UNBRIDGED METALLOCENE CATALYSTS*

Two unbridged metallocene catalysts, bis (2, 4, 7-trimethylindenyl)zirconium dichloride (met-I) and bis(2, 4, 6-trimethylindenyl) zirconium dichloride (met-II), which are different in the position o f substituents on the six-membered ringof the indenyl ligands were synthesized. The effect of substituents in the two metallocenes on the propylene polymerizationwas studied in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO) and triisobutylaluminium (TIBA). From the analysis ofmicrostructure determined by ~(13)C-NMR, it was demonstrated that the polymers produced by met-II have higher [mmmm]isotactic sequences than that of met-I. Using a mechanism based on model statistical analysis, it was found that chain-endmodel was dominant for met-I. However, met-II obeys the concurrent two-sites model during polymerization, which can beattributed to the existence of "racemic-like" conformer in its system.     

Propylene polymerizations with a binary metallocene system—Chain shuttling caused by trimethylaluminium between active catalyst centers

Propylene was polymerized at varying trimethylaluminium (TMA) concentration with a homogeneous binary metallocene catalyst system activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO) in an attempt to better understand interactions between active catalyst sites and to clarify the role of the TMA as a chain shuttling agent. TMA‐free polymerization conditions were obtained by chemical treatment of MAO solution with 2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenol (BHT). A binary catalyst system consisting of catalyst precursors diphenylmethyl(cyclopentadienyl)(9‐fluorenyl)zirconium dichloride ( 1 ) producing high M_w syndiotactic polypropylene and rac‐dimethylsilylbis(4‐tert‐butyl‐2‐methyl‐cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride ( 2 ) producing low M_w isotactic polypropylene was investigated. At the studied polymerization conditions, chain shuttling between the active catalysts caused by TMA was confirmed. The chain shuttling reactions caused changes in catalyst activity, molecular weights, melting behavior, and polymer microstructure. We propose that TMA is capable to transfer a growing polymer chain from catalyst 2 to catalyst 1 , and a stereoblock copolymer is formed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1364–1376, 2007     

SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL THIOPHENEDIMETHYLENE BRIDGED HOMOBINUCLEAR METALLOCENES AND THEIR CATALYTIC PROPERTIES FOR ETHYLENE POLYMERIZATION

By treating disodium(thiophenedirnethylene)dicyclopentadienide C_4H_2S(CH_2C_5H_4Na)_2 with two equivalent of CpTiCl_3 or CpZrCl_3 DME at 0℃ in THF,two new thiophenedimethylene bridged binuclear metallocenes [Cl_2MC_5H_5][C_5H_4CH_2C_4H_2SCH_2C_5H_4][C_5H_5MCl_2](M=Ti 3,M=Zr 4)were synthesized in high yield and their structures were characterized by ~1H-NMR.These complexes were used as catalysts for ethylene polymerization in the presence of methylaluminoxane(MAO).The effects of polymerization temperature,time,concentration of catalyst,molar ratio of MAO/Cat on polymerization were studied in detail.The catalytic activities of thiophenedimethylene bridged binuclear metallocene catalysts(3,4)reached 2.44×10~5 g PE mol~(-1)·cat~(-1)·h~(-1),9.61×10~5 g PE mol~(-1)·cat~(-1)·h~(-1) respectively,which are higher than that of pheneyldimethylene bridged binuclear metallocene catalysts and much higher than that of corresponding mononuclear metallocenes(Cp_2TiCl_2 and Cp_2ZrCl_2).The molecular weight distribution curves of polyethylenes produced by binuclear metallocene catalysts(3,4)and by mononuclear metallocene catalyst have only single peak,but the former(MWD=3.5-4.7)is obviously broader than the latter(MWD=2.0-2.2).     

Hydrogen transfer reactions of supported metallocene catalysts

The evolution of methane from methylaluminoxane (MAO) solutions is enhanced in the presence of homogeneous metallocenes. This reaction serves as a model for the deactivation of metallocene catalysts. By supporting different metallocenes on a silica/MAO carrier the deactivation reaction by alpha-hydrogen transfer among metallocene active sites and aluminum alkyls can be suppressed. The suppression of alpha-hydrogen transfer is proven for different Al/Zr ratios and by near independence of the polymerization activity on the catalyst aging time, after reaching maximum activity. Aluminum alkyls and MAO leach Cp₂ZrCl₂ from the carrier, the leached metallocene is only active in polymerization if MAO is present.     

Synthesis of Methylaluminoxane

Methylaluminoxane (MAO) is the most important cocatalyst of metallocene catalysts. In order to raise the hydrolysis reactions repeatability and the yield,we used the pretreated A12(SO4)3 18H2O to synthesize MAO. A few factors which influence the yield and the cocatalytic activity of MAO were discussed. The optimum condition of the reaction was obtained. The yield of MAO was raised from 40% to 49%. Synthesis of MAO: All the apparatus used was oven dried overnight and cooled under highly pure nitrogen atmosphere before use. The synthesis of MAO is carried out according to the procedure described below. 2M TMA/toluene solution was placed in a 200ml pressure balanced funnel. In a tluee necked 500ml round bottomed flask equipped with a teflon magnetic bar, the pretreated A12(SO4)3.18H2O was dispersed in dry toluene. The first neck was fitted with the pressure balanced funnel with a nitrogen outlet. The second neck was connected to nitrogen inlet. The third neck was connected to a thermowell.     

Improving the performance of methylalumoxane: a facile and efficient method to trap "free" trimethylaluminum

The presence of "free" trimethylaluminum (TMA) in methylalumoxane (MAO) solutions can be highly detrimental to the performance of metallocene and "post-metallocene" olefin polymerization catalysts. The most used strategy to remove "free" TMA is to evaporate MAO solutions to dryness, until a free-flowing white powder ("solid MAO") is left. This procedure is tedious and potentially hazardous, because in some cases the distillate is a concentrated hydrocarbon solution of TMA. Moreover, "solid MAO" is poorly soluble in common polymerization media, and once in solution it can regenerate TMA to some extent. This communication reports on a facile alternative, which consists in the controlled addition of a sterically hindered phenol, such as 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, effectively trapping "free" TMA. We show here that 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol/MAO solutions activate equally well the dichloro-precursors of well-known zirconocene and bis(phenoxyimine)Ti catalysts, and that their use in propene polymerization results in a substantially higher productivity, polymer stereoregularity, and/or average molecular mass compared with activation by MAO alone.     

Experimental and theoretical investigations of the structure of methylaluminoxane (MAO) cocatalysts for olefin polymerization

The structure of methylaluminoxane (MAO), used as a cocatalyst for olefin polymerization, has been investigated by Raman and in situ IR spectroscopy, polymerization experiments, and density functional calculations. From experimental results, a number of quantum chemical calculations, and bonding properties of related compounds, we have suggested a few Me₁₈Al₁₂O₉ cage structures, including a highly regular one with C_3h symmetry, which may serve as models for methylaluminoxane solutions. The cages themselves are rigid but may contain up to three bridging methyl groups on the cage surfaces that are labile and reactive. Bridging methyls were substituted with Cl atoms to form a compound otherwise similar to MAO. Chlorinated MAO is unable to activate a metallocene catalyst, even in the presence of trimethylaluminum (TMA), but allows subsequent activation by regular MAO. With bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, MAO and TMA seem to influence chain termination independently. Several findings previously poorly explained are rationalized with the new model, including the observed lack of reaction products with excess TMA. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3106–3127, 2000     

ESR studies on oxidation state of titanocene and zirconocene catalysts

An on‐line electron spin resonance (ESR) technique was applied to investigate the oxidation states of the metallocene catalysts CpTiCl₃, CpZrCl₃, Cp₂TiCl₂, and Cp₂ZrCl₂. These metallocene catalysts were activated by modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO). It was found that the titanocene catalysts (CpTiCl₃ and Cp₂TiCl₂) were readily reduced to the trivalent state while the zirconocene catalysts (CpZrCl₃ and Cp₂ZrCl₂) were quite stable with respect to reduction. The concentrations of the trivalent species Ti(III) and Zr(III) showed linear relationships with the concentrations of metallocene catalyst precursors. However, their slopes were always smaller than unity indicating the existence of bimetallic interactions of the active sites. The ESR detectable Ti(III) and Zr(III) concentrations initially increased with the MAO/catalyst ratio and then leveled off after an 800–1000 Al/catalyst molar ratio. The deactivation processes were followed as a function of aging time over a range of temperature (25–100°C). The decay curves strongly depended on aging temperature with higher temperature giving faster decay rates. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1465–1472, 1999     

Substituent effects on titanocenium catalysts

Titanocene dichloride (1) and its bis(trifluoromethyl) (2) and bis(N,N-dimethylamino) (3) derivatives have been compared as catalysts for ethylene and propylene polymerizations using both methylaluminoxane (MAO) and triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (4)/triisobutylaluminum (TIBA) as cocatalysts. The differences between the activities of the three ‘free’ titanocenium ions and the M _w of the polyolefins produced by them may be attributable to the relative stabilities of the intermediate olefin–titanocenium π-complexes. Interaction of either the neutral MAO or its anion with the titanocenium species may be responsible for the significantly lower catalytic efficiencies when the precursors were activated by MAO than by the 4/TIBA system.     

Metallocene–methylaluminoxane catalysts for olefin polymerization. I. Trimethylaluminum as coactivator

Ethylene was polymerized by Cp₂ZrCl₂–methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts where a portion of the MAO was replaced with trimethyl aluminum (TMA). At a total Al to Zr ratio of 1070, there is neither appreciable loss of productivity nor change in polymerization profile for TMA/MAO ≤ 10. The productivity is reduced only by two- to three-fold for TMA/MAO ≤ 100 accompanied by a 10 min induction period. Aging of this catalyst did not affect the induction period, but improves its productivity. The kinetic isotope effect for radiolabeling with tritiated methanol is 2.0. About 40% of the Zr is active for the catalyst with {99 [TMA] + 1[MAO]} to Zr ratio of 100. The rate constants for propagation and chain transfer were obtained. The mechanisms for the mixed TMA and MAO cocatalyst system are discussed. The results of this work have important practical significance. MAO is a hazardous material to synthesize and only in low yields. The replacement of > 90% of MAO with TMA represents a substantial saving since as much as 0.1M of the former is commonly used for a polymerization.     

Effect of the nature of an organoaluminum activator on catalytic properties of phenoxyimine zirconium complexes in homo- and copolymerization reactions of ethylene

Catalytic properties of the phenoxyimine zirconium complexes, viz., bis[N-(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)anilinato]zirconium(IV) dichloride (1) and its fluorinated analog, bis[N-(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroanilinato]zirconium(IV) dichloride (2), were studied. Ethylene homopolymerization and copolymerization of ethylene with α-olefins were chosen as catalytic reactions, and various organoaluminum compounds served as activators: commercial polymethylalumoxane (MAO) containing ∼35 mol.% of trimethylaluminum (TMA), MAO purified from TMA (“dry” MAO), and “classical” organoaluminum compounds, namely, TMA and triisobutylaluminum (TIBA). Complex 1 is not activated by “dry” MAO but is efficiently transformed into the catalytically active state by commercial MAO, “conventional” TMA, and TIBA. These processes give low-molecular-weight polyethylenes (PE) characterized by high values of polydispersity indices and by polymodal curves of gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The order of decreasing the efficiency of activation for the cocatalysts is MAO > TIBA > TMA. Fluorinated complex 2 exhibits a high activity after its treatment with MAO and “dry” MAO, the activity is much lower upon mixing with TIBA, and complex 2 is inactive when using TMA. In the copolymerization of ethylene with hex-1-ene and dec-1-ene, complex 1 treated with MAO is highly active but gives a low level of insertion of the comonomer (1–2 mol.% in the copolymer). Complex 2 activated with “dry” MAO is more efficient in the copolymerization of ethylene with propylene or hex-1-ene but, like complex 1, it does not produce copolymers with a high content of the comonomer. The both catalysts provide the insertion of α-olefin as isolated units separated by extended sections of the chain consisting of ethylene units.     

Bimodal Polyethylenes Obtained with a Dual‐Site Metallocene Catalyst System. Effect of Trimethylaluminium Addition

Bimodal polyethylenes were obtained with the dual site Cp*₂ZrCl₂( 1 )/Et(IndH4)₂ZrCl₂( 2 ) metallocene catalyst system with a mixture of methylaluminoxane (MAO) and trimethylaluminium (TMA) as the cocatalyst. Polymer properties can be controlled by the amount of TMA added, monomer pressure, polymerization temperature and the addition of hexene or hydrogen. TMA is suggested to be partly coordinated to the active sites, thereby enhancing termination ( 1 ), increasing comonomer incorporation ( 2 ), but also partially blocking coordination and chain transfer to hydrogen. For the ansa catalyst, hydrogen probably relieves dormant (β‐agostic) sites.     

Alumina as support for metallocene catalyst in ethylene polymerization

Aluminas thermally and/or chemically treated were used as support for Cp₂ZrCl₂ and evaluated in ethylene polymerization at constant reaction conditions. Two different calcination temperatures were employed, and the metallocene was fixed either directly or after support pretreatment with MAO, TMA, or NaOH solutions. The obtained alumina‐supported catalysts showed activities comparable to the homogeneous precursor. It was noticed that the textural properties of the supports strongly influenced the catalyst performance. The direct fixation of the metallocene on alumina produced catalysts presenting lower activities in comparison to the ones obtained from the chemically treated supports. The chemical pretreatment of hydrated alumina with TMA originated catalysts whose activities were superior to those obtained by pretreatment with MAO. The pretreatment with NaOH produced the more active catalyst and generated branched polymer. The molecular weight of the PE produced by the supported catalysts was higher than the ones obtained with the homogeneous system. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 9–21, 2004     

Synthesis and Catalytic Application of Homo-bimetallic Metallocene Complexes as Ethylene Polymerization Catalysts

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