Metal Complexes for the Vinyl Addition Polymerization of Norbornene: New Compound Classes and Activation Mechanism with B(C6F5)3/AlEt3

Classes of mainly nickel(II) and palladium(II) complexes are comparatively presented in their norbornene polymerization activity to vinyl polynorbornene when activated with methylalumoxane, MAO, tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane/triethylaluminum, B(C₆F₅)₃/AlEt₃ or even B(C₆F₅)₃ alone. Classes include Ni and Pd complexes with α-dioxime ligands, salts with [PdCl₄]²⁻ and [Pd₂Cl₆]²⁻ units, dinuclear Ni and Pd complexes with multidentate Schiff-base ligands, polynuclear Ni- and Cr/Ni-carboxylate cage complexes, and dihalo(bisphosphane) Ni and Pd complexes. The study of activation mechanism by ³¹P- and ¹⁹F-NMR together with X-ray structural data points to the formation of PdCl₂ units and “naked” Pd²⁺ cations as highly active species.