Polymerization with heterogeneous metalorganic catalysts. VI. Differences in polymerization activity of α-olefins and some kinetic results on butene-1 polymerization

Relative changes in polymerization activity of ethylene, propylene, and butene-1 in Ziegler-Natta polymerization were compared by use of TiCl₃ samples contaminated with O₂ and H₂O to various extents. Catalyst depletion varied for the three monomers which supported the existence of different active centers. In butene-1 polymerizations with the system Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl–TiCl₃, the formation of active centers involves an irreversible and a reversible (adsorption) reaction, the former pertaining to the formation of Al(C₂H₅)Cl₂ and dependent upon the purity of the TiCl₃. The kinetic treatment of the rate curves suggests a mixed order of catalyst deactivation and again points to the importance of Al(C₂H₅)Cl₂.