| Abstract: | Polymerization of ethene catalyzed by dicyclopentadienylzirconium dichloride/methylaluminoxane was performed in toluene at 50°C under 0.38–8.95 bar ethene. Both Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and gel-permeation chromatography showed that the molecular weight is independent of the ethene pressure (concentration). The trans-vinylene unsaturation content increased as the pressure decreased. Termination by β-H transfer to a coordinated monomer and a kinetically controlled isomerization reaction are suggested, in order to explain the observations. |
