Supported catalysts for stereospecific polymerization of propylene

Tetrabenzyltitanium (B₄Ti), tribenzyltitanium chloride (B₃TiCl), tetra(p-methylbenzyl)titanium (R₄Ti) and tri(p-methylbenzyl)titanium chloride (R₃TiCl) have been used as catalysts for ethylene and propylene polymerization activated by AlEt₂Cl. B₄Ti-AIEt₂Cl in solution polymerizes ethylene readily but its activity decays rapidly. B₄Ti was also supported on Cab-O-Sil, Alon C, and Mg(OH)Cl. The last support was found to give catalyst with longest lifetime with a rate of polymerization, R_p = 7.0 g/hr-mmole Ti-atm ethylene. ¹⁴CO counting techniques gave 1.13 × 10^?3 mole of propagating center per mole of B₄Ti; the rate constant of propagation, k_p = 540 l./mole-sec. None of the tetravalent titanium compounds polymerize propylene in solution. However, when supported on Mg(OH)Cl, Cab-O-Sil, Alon C, Cab-O-Ti, and charcoal, they all polymerize propylene. In this work the supports were characterized by various techniques, including the paramagnetic probe method, to determine the concentration and nature of surface hydroxyls. Those factors controlling the rate and stereospecificity of propylene polymerization were investigated. The system B₃TiCl–Mg(OH)Cl–AlEt₂Cl is the most active with R_p = 2.89 g/hr-mmole Ti-atm propylene. The concentration of propagation center is 0.9 × 10^?3 mole per mole of B₃TiCl; k_p = 32 l./mole-sec. This catalyst gave only about 70% stereoregular polymer. Diethyl ether is found to raise stereospecificity to 100%, but there is a concommittent tenfold decrease of activity. Other interesting catalyst systems are: (π-C₅H₅)TiMe₃–Mg(OH)Cl–AlEt₂Cl (1.56, 89.5); (π-C₅H₅)TiMe₂–Mg(OH)Cl–AlEt₂Cl (0.075, 94.5); and (π-C₅H₅)TiMe₃–Alon C–Al-Et₂Cl (0.08,97.2), where the first number in the parenthesis is R_p in g/mmole Ti-hr-atm and the second entry corresponds to percentage yield of stereoregular polypropylene. Hafnocene and titanocene supported on Mg(OH)Cl produce only oligomers of propylene.     

Living syndiospecific polymerization of propylene promoted by C1‐symmetric titanium complexes activated by dried MAO

A series of C₁‐symmetric titanium complexes with both salicylaldiminato and β‐enaminoketonato as the ligands have been synthesized and investigated as the catalysts for propylene polymerization. In the presence of dried methylaluminoxane (dMAO), the complex with bulky substituent tert‐butyl ortho to alkyl oxygen can promote living polymerization of propylene with improved catalytic activity at ambient temperature, producing high molecular weight syndiotactic polypropylenes (rrrr 90.2%) with narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.07–1.22), via a propagation of 1,2‐insertion of monomer and chain‐end control of stereoselectivity. The propagation of polymer chain is completely different from that mediated by FI catalysts (the titanium complexes with phenoxy‐imine chelate ligands) which favor 2,1‐insertion of monomer. The interaction between a fluorine and a β‐hydrogen of a growing polymer chain, negligible chain transfer to monomer and dMAO without any free AlMe₃ were responsible for the achievement of living propylene polymerization. The substituent ortho to alkyl oxygen determined the stereo structure of the resultant polypropylene. In the case of less steric congested complexes with two nonequivalent coordination positions, the growing polymer chain might swing back to the favorite coordination position (site‐epimerization), forming m dyads regioirregular units. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Effet de la temperature et de la concentration en monomere sur la cinetique de polymerisation du propene par catalyse ziegler-natta

The effects of monomer concentration and temperature on the kinetics of propene polymerization catalysed by δ titanium trichloride (TiCl₃· 1/3 AlCl₃) activated by diethylaluminium chloride have been studied. The study included variation of propene concentration from 0·2 mole/1 to bulk liquid at temperatures between 20 and 80°. Results are in agreement with a mechanism which includes a monomer chemisorption to form a transitory complex (absorption—desorption) and addition of the chemisorbed monomer to the polymer chain. It appears, contrary to the general belief, that addition would be fast compared with the setting up of the chemisorption equilibrium.     

Polymerization of aromatic aldehydes. II. Cationic cyclopolymerization of phthalaldehyde

Phthalaldehyde was found to undergo cyclopolymerization with ease by several cationic catalysts and by γ-ray irradiation. The polymer was composed entirely of the dioxyphthalan unit, as confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and ready decomposition to monomer. The enhanced polymerizability of phthalaldehyde as compared with other aromatic aldehydes was explained in terms of the intermediate-type or, preferably, concerted propagation scheme. The conversion reached a saturation value of 87% in about 1 hr in methylene chloride at ?78°C, indicating an equilibrium polymerization. The ceiling temperature of the polymerization was ?43°C, as estimated from the relation between the saturation yield and polymerization temperature. The enthalpy and entropy of propagation were ?5.3 kcal/mole and ?23.0 eu, respectively. Since the molecular weight of the polymer was proportional to conversion, the propagating chain end was considered to be “living” in this system. The rate constant for propagation was calculated to be 0.18 1/mole-sec in methylene chloride at ?78°C with BF₃OEt₂ catalyst.     

Polymerization of α-amino acid N-carboxy anhydrides. III. Mechanism of polymerization of L- and DL-alanine NCA in acetonitrile

The polymerization of L - and DL -alanine NCA initiated with n-butylamine was carried out in acetonitrile which is a nonsolvent for polypeptide. The initiation reaction was completed within 60 min.; there was about 10% of conversion of monomer. The number-average degree of polymerization of the polymer obtained increased with the reaction period, and it was found to agree with value of W/I, where W is the weight of the monomer consumed by the polymerization and I is the weight of the initiator used. The initiation reaction of the polymerization was concluded as an attack of n-butylamine on the C₅ carbonyl carbon of NCA. The initiation, was followed by a propagation reaction, in which there was attack by an amino endgroup of the polymer on the C₅ carbonyl carbon of NCA. The rate of polymerization was observed by measuring the CO₂ evolved, and the activation energy was estimated as follows: 6.66 kcal./mole above 30°C. and 1.83 kcal./mole below 30°C. for L -alanine NCA; 15.43 kcal./mole above 30°C., 2.77 kcal./mole below 30°C. for DL -alanine NCA. The activation entropy was about ?43 cal./mole-°K. above 30°C. and ?59 cal./mole-°K. below 30°C. for L -alanine NCA; it was about ?14 cal./mole-°K. above 30°C. and ?56 cal./mole-°K. below 30°C. for DL -alanine NCA. From the polymerization parameters, x-ray diffraction diagrams, infrared spectra, and solubility in water of the polymer, the poly-DL -alanine obtained here at a low temperature was assumed to have a block copolymer structure rather than being a random copolymer of D - and L -alanine.     

Propylene polymerization with catalysts containing divalent titanium

The behavior in propylene polymerization of divalent titanium compounds of type [η⁶-areneTiAl₂Cl₈], both as such and supported on activated MgCl₂, has been studied and compared to that of the simple catalyst MgCl₂/TiCl₄. Triethylaluminium was used as cocatalyst. The Ti–arene complexes were active both in the presence and in the absence of hydrogen, in contrast to earlier reports that divalent titanium species are active for ethylene but not for propylene polymerization. ¹³C-NMR analysis of low molecular weight polymer fractions indicated that the hydrogen activation effect observed for the MgCl₂-supported catalysts should be ascribed to reactivation of 2,1-inserted (“dormant”) sites via chain transfer, rather than to (re)generation of active trivalent Ti via oxidative addition of hydrogen to divalent species. Decay in activity during polymerization was observed with both catalysts, indicating that for MgCl₂/TiCl₄ catalysts decay is not necessarily due to overreduction of Ti to the divalent state during polymerization. In ethylene polymerization both catalysts exhibited an acceleration rather than a decay profile. It is suggested that the observed decay in activity during propylene polymerization may be due to the formation of clustered species that are too hindered for propylene but that allow ethylene polymerization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 2645–2652, 1997     

Supported titanium-magnesium catalysts for propylene polymerization

The results of studies of the synthesis and properties of supported titanium-magnesium catalysts for propylene polymerization performed at the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, are considered. The composition of the catalysts is TiCl₄/D₁/MgCl₂-AlEt₃/D₂, where D₁ and D₂ are stereoregulating donors. With the use of the procedure proposed for the synthesis of titanium-magnesium catalysts, the morphology of catalyst particles depends on the stage of the preparation of a Mg-containing support. The titanium-magnesium catalysts developed afforded polypropylene (PP) in a high yield; this PP was characterized by high isotacticity and excellent morphology. The controllable fragmentation of the catalyst by the polymer is of crucial importance for the retention of the morphology of titanium-magnesium catalyst particles in PP. The fragmentation of catalyst particles to microparticles occurred in the formation of more than 100 g of PP per gram of the catalyst. The surface complexes were studied by DRIFT and MAS NMR spectroscopy and chemical analysis. It was shown that the role of internal donors is to regulate the distribution of TiCl₄ on different MgCl₂ faces and, thereby, to influence the properties of PP. It was found that chlorine-containing complexes of aluminum compounds were formed on the catalyst surface by the interaction of the catalyst with AlEt₃; these complexes can block the major portion of titanium chloride. Data on the number of active sites and the rate constants of polymer chain propagation (k _p) at various sites indicate that donor D₁ increases the stereospecificity of the catalyst because of an increase in the fraction of highly stereospecific active sites, at which k _p is much higher than that at low-stereospecificity active sites. Donor D₂ enhances the role of D₁. Similar values of k _p at sites with the same stereospecificity in titanium-magnesium catalysts and TiCl₃ suggest that the role of the support mainly consists in an increase in the dispersity of titanium chloride.     

Polymer-Supported Lewis Acid Catalysts. V. Complexes of Titanium Chloride or Stannic Chloride with Poly (βDiketone) Carrier

A polymer carrier containing (β-diketone groups was synthesized by a free radical polymerization of methacrylacetone monomer and combined with titanium tetrachloride or stannic chloride in chloroform to form two very stable complexes containing 19.5 and 18.3% CI which are equivalent to 1.40 mmol TiCl₄ complex beads and 1.28 mmol SnCl₄; complex beads, respectively. The two complexes showed good catalytic activity in many organic reactions such as acetalation, ketal formation, and esterification. The catalysts can be reused at least 8 times without losing their activity in organic reactions.     

Ziegler polymerization of olefins. IX. Donor effects in metal alkyl-free and Ziegler-type stereospecific catalysts

Electron donors, especially trialkylamines and azulene, have been examined in aluminum alkyl-, CH₃TiCl₃- and hydrogen-activated TiCl₃ catalysts for the polymerization of propylene to isotactic polymer. A comparison and an evaluation were made with findings which were established earlier with zinc alkyl-based TiCl₃ catalysts. We find that the donor, when it is present in low concentrations in all of the above catalysts, can inactivate preferentially the less stereoregulating sites. In this way the isotactic content and the molecular weight of the polymer are increased, but only at the expense of a lower catalyst activity. The addition of hydrogen to the TiCl₃–donor catalyst at ?78°C produced a threefold effect: (1) the activity of the catalyst was increased about 5 to 15 times and higher, (2) the polypropylene formed with this more active catalyst was more isotactic (ca. 10–15%), and (3) the polymer had a lower molecular weight. It is proposed that the increase in catalyst activity was due to the generation of Ti-H bonds to which propylene molecules then added, the Ti-H bonds thus being transformed into active Ti-C centers.     

Kinetic studies of polymerization of propylene with active TiCl3–Zn(C2H5)2

In order to elucidate the structure of the Ziegler-Natta polymerization center, we have carried out some kinetic studies on the polymerization of propylene with active TiCl₃—Zn(C₂H₅)₂ in the temperature range of 25–56°C. and the Zn(C₂H₅)₂ concentration range of 4 × 10^?3–8 × 10^?2 mole/1., and compared the results with those obtained with active TiCl₃—Al(C₂H₅)₃. The following differences were found: (1) the activation energy of the stationary rate of polymerization is 6.5 kcal/mole with Zn(C₂H₅)₂ and 13.8 kcal./mole with Al(C₂H₅)₃; (2) the growth rate of the polymer chains with Zn(C₂H₅)₂ is about times slower at 43.5°C.; and (3) the polymerization centers formed with Zn(C₂H₅)₂ are more unstable. It can be concluded that the structure of the polymerization center with Zn(C₂H₅)₂ is different from that with Al(C₂H₅)₃.     

Alternating copolymerization of the styrene–methyl methacrylate system complexed with diethylaluminum chloride

The rate and molecular weight profiles were obtained for the spontaneous alternating copolymerizations conducted with diethylaluminum chloride. The rate formally fitted an expression, R = k_p[MMA][Sty], and the rate constant was established by two distinct methods: (1) from the yield versus time data and (2) from initial rate over a range of initial concentrations; it was determined as 5.4 × 10^?6 l./mole-sec with E_a = 4.2 kcal/mole. Molecular weights were determined by gel-permeation chromatography. No increase in molecular weight was observed with increased reaction time. Thus living centers or diradicals are not involved in the process. The M?_n shows a steady decrease with increase in monomer-diethylaluminum chloride concentration but the rate is maximum at equimolar monomer concentrations. The data are interpreted on a chain-transfer mechanism and show close agreement to a model in which the excess complexed acceptor monomer is the transfer agent. The chain-transfer constant of 7.1 × 10^?4 l./mole-sec is several orders of magnitude greater than for uncomplexed systems.     

Polymer-supported Ziegler–Natta catalysts. I. A preliminary study of catalyst synthesis

Polymer-supported Ziegler–Natta catalysts based on various polymer carriers were synthesized by different methods, including (1) loading TiCl₄ directly onto the polymer supports; (2) loading TiCl₄ onto the polymer supports modified by magnesium chloride (MgCl₂); (3) loading TiCl₄ onto the polymer supports modified by Grignard reagent (RMgCl); and (4) loading TiCl₄ onto the polymer supports modified by magnesium alkyls (MgR₂). The activity and kinetic features of the catalysts for ethylene polymerization were examined. Among the combinations tested, the best was found to be TiCl₄/n-Bu₂Mg.Et₃Al/poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (92:8), which produced a catalyst of very high activity for ethylene polymerization. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characterization of Ziegler–Natta catalyst by ESCA

The surface composition of TiCl₃-based Ziegler—Natta catalysts prepared by various methods was analyzed by ESCA to correlate the total amount of surface titanium with the catalyst activity in propylene polymerization. The ESCA peak ratio (Ti 2P_3/2/Cl 2P) of the catalysts was measured to estimate the surface composition. The titanium index defined as the product of the (Ti/Cl peak ratio and surface area) was closely correlated with the catalyst activity in polymerization. This indicates that surface titanium concentration and surface area determine the catalyst activity. It was also found that removal of surface aluminum and chlorine at the catalyst preparation stage results in concentration of titanium at the surface and an increase in surface area.     

Polymerization of β-cyanopropionaldehyde. III. Polymerization by organoaluminum and by organoaluminum–titanium chloride complexes

The mechanism of formation and stereoregularity of poly(cyanoethyl)oxymethylene have been studied. The polymerization was carried out at ?78°C with use of aluminum compounds [Al(C₂H₅)₃, Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl, Al(C₂H₅)Cl₂, and AlCl₃] and complex catalysts [Al(C₂H₅)₃–TiCl₄, Al(C₂H₅)₃–TiCl₃, and Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl–TiCl₃] as initiators. The stereoregularity of poly(cyanoethyl)oxymethylene was estimated from the optical density ratio, D₁₂₅₈/D₁₂₇₀, in the infrared absorption spectrum. Polymer yields were observed to depend upon the aluminum compound used as initiators, while the stereoregularity of the polymer was nearly independent of the particular aluminum compound used. As the catalyst ratio of titanium chloride to aluminum compound increased, the polymer yield was found to increase to a maximum and then to decrease with further increase of the ratio. It is supposed that titanium chlorides themselves increase the acid strength of aluminum compounds through chlorination, resulting in the change of the polymer yield. The highest stereoregularity of poly(cyanoethyl)oxymethylene was attained by increasing the molar ratio of titanium trichloride to aluminum and by treating β-cyanopropionaldehyde (CPA) with titanium trichloride prior to the polymerization. Complex formation of the nitrile group of CPA with titanium is considered responsible for the increase in stereoregularity. A propagation mechanism is also proposed.     

Initiation and propagation in γ-radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene

The initiation and propagation reaction in γ-ray-induced polymerization of ethylene was studied by the two-stage irradiation method, i.e., a first stage in which initiation and propagation occur at a high dose rate, and a second stage where only the growth of polymer radical occurs. The rate of initiation is calculated from the amount of polymerized monomer and the degree of polymerization as the rate of increase in the number of polymer chains. The initiation rate is shown to be proportional to the ethylene density in the reactor and dose rate. G_R of radical formation is found to be about 1.6 at 30°C. at a dose rate of 2.5 × 10⁴ rad/hr. and is almost independent of ethylene density but decreases slightly with increasing irradiation dose rate. The lifetime of the growing polymer chain radical is shown to be long at normal temperature. The absolute propagation rate is proportional to the square of ethylene fugacity and depends on dose rate to some extent. For chain growth, irradiation of low dose rate is necessary. The apparent activation energy for the propagation reaction is ?9 kcal./mole.     

Polymerization of vinyl chloride with half‐titanocene/methylaluminoxane catalysts

The polymerization of vinyl chloride (VC) with half‐titanocene /methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts is investigated. The polymerization of VC with the Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst (Cp* = η⁵‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) afforded high‐molecular‐weight poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in good yields, although the polymerization proceeded at a slow rate. With the Cp*TiCl₃/MAO catalyst, the polymer was also obtained, but the polymer yield was lower than that with the Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst. The polymerization of VC with the Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst was influenced by the MAO/Ti mole ratio and reaction temperature, and the optimum was observed at the MAO/Ti mole ratio of about 10. The optimum reaction temperature of VC with the Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst was around 20 °C. The stereoregularity of PVC obtained with the Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst was different from that obtained with azobisisobutyronitrile, but highly stereoregular PVC could not be synthesized. From the elemental analyses, the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of the polymers, and the analysis of the reduction product from PVC to polyethylene, the polymer obtained with Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst consisted of only regular head‐to‐tail units without any anomalous structure, whereas the Cp*TiCl₃/MAO catalyst gave the PVC‐bearing anomalous units. The polymerization of VC with the Cp*Ti(OCH₃)₃/MAO catalyst did not inhibit even in the presence of radical inhibitors such as 2,2,6,6,‐tetrametylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl, indicating that the polymerization of VC did not proceed via a radical mechanism. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 248–256, 2003     

Kinetics of Ziegler propylene polymerization

Rate studies were done on the polymerization of propylene with the TiCl₃–diethyl aluminum chloride catalyst system. The polymerization is initially first-order with respect to propylene concentration. There is a rapid rate decline in the initial period, during which time the reaction becomes functionally second-order. A physical explanation for this behavior has been adapted from the Avrami equation for crystal growth kinetics. A yield equation was developed which fits experimental data closely. Rate correlations show that the initial rate is exponentially related to the TiCl₃/alkyl ratio. Water and other active hydrogen compounds reduce rate; hydrogen increases rate. A “bimetallic” mechanism is proposed which views catalyst activation as consisting of three equilibria, followed by a propagation step where an alkyl group is transferred to the growing chain, and a realkylation of the hydride that remains after the propagation step.     

Studies on Ziegler-Natta catalysts. Part IV. Chemical nature of the active site

The determination of the number of sites active in the polymerization of ethylene on the surface of α-TiCl₃–Al(CH₃)₃ dry catalysts leads to the conclusion that this number is small in comparison to the total surface of the catalyst. Qualitatively this conclusion is also reached by two other independent methods. Infrared spectra of the catalyst before and after polymerization do not show a change in the type of bonds present in the surface. Electron microscopy proves that no active sites are formed on the basal plane of the α-TiCl₃ which constitutes 95% of the total surface. The results strongly favor the lateral faces of α-TiCl₃ as the preferred location of active centers. The lateral faces contain chlorine vacancies and incompletely coordinated titanium atoms. This must then be the essential conditions for the formation of active centers. The propagation of the polymer chain has been repeatedly shown to follow an insertion mechanism. The active site, therefore, necessarily contains a metal–carbon bond. The study of catalysts derived from TiCl₃CH₃ leads to the conclusion that a Ti? C bond on titanium of incomplete coordination is the active species in these cases. The alkylation of surface titanium atoms was proven to be an intermediate step in the catalyst formation from TiCl₃ and AlR₃. Survival of titanium–alkyl bonds on the lateral faces, where titanium atoms are incompletely coordinated explains best, in the light of our data, the activity of Ziegler-Natta catalysts. Coordination of aluminum alkyl compounds in or around the active center probably complicates the structure of the active centers.     

Kinetics of propylene polymerization in the initial acceleration stage

The kinetics of propylene polymerization catalyzed over a superactive and stereospecific catalyst for the initial build-up period was investigated in slurry-phase. The catalyst was prepared from Mg(OEt)₂/benzoyl chloride/TiCl₄ co-activated with AlEt₃ in the absence or presence of external donor. Despite a very fast activation of the prepared catalyst the acceleration stage of polymerization could be identified by the precise estimation of polymerization kinetics for a very short period of time after the commencement of polymerization (ca. 2 min). The initial polymerization rate, (dR_p/dt)₀ extrapolated to the beginning of the polymerization was second order with respect to monomer concentration. The dependence of initial polymerization rate on the concentration of AlEt₃ could be represented by Langmuir adsorption mechanism. The initial rate was maximum at about Al/Ti ratio of 20. The activation energy for the initiation reaction was estimated to be 14.3 kcal/mol for a short-time polymerization. The addition of a small amount of p-ethoxy ethyl benzoate (PEEB) as an external donor increased the percentage of isotactic polymer, which was obtained after 120 s of polymerization, to 98% and the initial polymerization rate decreased sharply as [PEEB]/[AlEt₃] increased. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Cyclo- and cyclized diene polymers. XVI. Nature of the active species and a proposed mechanism of cyclopolymerization of isoprene with catalysts containing ethylaluminum halides

The polymerization of isoprene with C₂H₅AlCl₂ to yield solid cyclopolyisoprene is markedly accelerated by the addition of TiCl₄. The polymer yield passes through a maximum on increasing the catalyst reaction time with or without monomer present. The active species are probably cations formed by dissociation of the reaction product of C₂H₅AlCl₂ and TiCl₄. The polymerization of isoprene with (C₂H₅)₂AlX–TiCl₄ (X = F, Br, Cl) has maximum activity at an Al/Ti mole ratio of 0.75 corresponding to conversion of R₂AlX to RAIX₂ which then reacts with remaining TiCl₄. A proposed mechanism of cyclopolymerization of conjugated dienes involves monomer activation, i.e., conversion to cation radical by one-electron transfer to catalyst cation which is itself neutralized, addition of cation end of monomer cation radical to terminal or internal unsaturation of fused cyclohexane polymer chain, one-electron transfer from “neutral” catalyst to cation on polymer chain which is then transformed to a diradical which undergoes coupling to form a cyclohexene ring. The mechanism of the “living” polymerization involves addition of catalyst-activated monomer to a “dead” polymer with a terminal cyclohexene ring and regeneration of the active catalyst.