Heptane-soluble homogeneous zirconocene catalyst: Synthesis of a single diastereomer,polymerization catalysis,and effect of silica supports

Bis(1-indenyl)-di[1′S, 2′R, 5′S)-methoxy]silane ( 1 ) was converted into a mixture of corresponding ansa-diastereomeric zirconocenes. Further purification afforded a single dia-stereomer, di[(1′S, 2′R, 5′S)-methoxy] silylene-bis[η⁵-1(R, R)-(+)-indenyl] dichlorozirconium ( 2 ), which is optically active and hydrocarbon soluble. Extremely rapid ethylene, propylene, and ethylene-hexene polymerizations were observed both in toluene and n-heptane solutions; for instance, at 50°C, activity for ethylene polymerization reaches ～ 1.5×10¹⁰ (g of PE/((mol of Zr) · [C₂H₄] · h). The “bare” zirconocenium ion generated from 2/TIBA/Ph₃CB(C₆F₅)₄ exhibits unusual polymerization behaviors; the polymerization activity increases monotonically with temperature of polymerization (T_p) up to a conventional polymerization condition (50–70°C), and the ¹³C NMR study shows that the isotactic poly-propylene obtained has fairly high [mmmm] methyl pentad distributions at high T_p (?25°C with [mmmm] ～ 0.93–0.75) and a perfect stereoregularity at low T_p (?0°C with [mmmm] > 0.99). The catalyst precursors 2 and Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ ( 3 ) supported on silica by different approaches produced poly(olefins) of different molecular weights and stereoregularities, and a methylaluminokane and Ph₃CB(C₆F₅)₄ free silica-supported zirconocene system was found to be activated by triisobutylaluminum. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.