Evaluation of the dimethylsilyl-bis(2-methyl-4-phenyl-1-indenyl) ligand with group 4 triad metals in propene polymerizations with methylaluminoxane

Dimethylsilyl-bis(2-methyl-4-phenyl-1-indenyl)MCl₂ (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) complexes in combination with methylaluminoxanes produce isotactic polypropene. The Ti catalysts produce isotactic polypropene which is more stereoregular than that obtained with traditional, heterogeneous catalysts. Zr produces low molecular weight, weakly isotactic waxes at phenomenal rates greater than 32 · 10⁶ gPP/(mol catalyst) · h · (mol/l monomer)]. Hf produces long, softer isotactic chains with good activities.