Dimethylzirconocene−Methylaluminoxane Catalyst for Olefin Polymerization:  NMR Study of Reaction Equilibria

Cp2Zr(13CH3)2 (1) has been used as a probe for the reactivity of metallocene−methylaluminoxane catalysts for olefin polymerization. A 1H and 13C NMR study of the reaction equilibria between Cp2Zr(13CH3)2 and Lewis acids such as AlMe3 (2), B(C6F5)3 (3), and methylaluminoxane (MAO) (4) has been perfor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Macromolecules 1997-03, Vol.30 (5), p.1247-1252
Main Authors: Tritto, Incoronata, Donetti, Raffaella, Sacchi, Maria Carmela, Locatelli, Paolo, Zannoni, Giulio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Exact sciences and technology
Organic polymers
Physicochemistry of polymers
Polymerization
Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts
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Summary:Cp2Zr(13CH3)2 (1) has been used as a probe for the reactivity of metallocene−methylaluminoxane catalysts for olefin polymerization. A 1H and 13C NMR study of the reaction equilibria between Cp2Zr(13CH3)2 and Lewis acids such as AlMe3 (2), B(C6F5)3 (3), and methylaluminoxane (MAO) (4) has been performed. AlMe3 is always present in MAO solutions, and B(C6F5)3 is a relatively strong Lewis acid, which has a capacity to form and stabilize ion pairs comparable to that of MAO. The use of isotopically 13C-enriched dimethylzirconocene has permitted the study of these systems by 13C NMR in conditions as close as possible to usual polymerization conditions, which require large excesses of MAO for reaching high activities. The comparisons of the reactivity of Cp2Zr(13CH3)2 with B(C6F5)3 and with MAO have provided the first direct evidence of the formation in solution of monomeric [Cp2Zr(13CH3)]+[Me·MAO]- (8), of dimeric [Cp2Zr(13CH3)]2(μ-13CH3)+[Me·MAO]- (7), and of the [(Cp2Zr(μ-Me)2AlMe2]+[Me·MAO]- (9) cationic species, having MeMAO- counterions. The influence of temperature, Al/Zr mole ratio, and zirconium concentration on the equilibria of ion pair formation has been elucidated.
ISSN:0024-9297
1520-5835
DOI:10.1021/ma9608986