Synthesis of a new salphen‐type titanium complex and its application in ethylene polymerization and copolymerization

TiCl₂[salphen(di‐tBu)] was synthesized, characterized and employed as pre‐catalyst in ethylene homo‐ and copolymerization with propylene, 1‐octene and 10‐undecen‐1‐ol. X‐ray diffraction study on the titanium complex revealed a distorted octahedral coordination of the central metal with a trans‐Cl, cis‐O, cis‐N arrangement. The complex combined with MAO afforded moderate catalytic activities in ethylene polymerization. Furthermore the catalyst not only copolymerized ethylene with apolar monomer (propylene and 1‐octene), but also possessed significant capability of incorporation with polar monomer (10‐undecen‐1‐ol). Only single insertion of 1‐octene unit in ethylene‐co‐1‐octene polymer was detected by ¹³C NMR spectrum. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.