Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol.35, No.2, 291-297, 1997
Polymerization of Propene with the Xticl(3)/Mgcl2-Al(I-Bu)(3) Catalyst System (X Equals Cyclopentadienyl, Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, Indenyl, and Heptamethylindenyl) in the Absence and Presence of a Lewis Base
Several kinds of MgCl2-supported half titanocene (XTiCl(3); X = cyclopentadienyl, penta methylcyclopentadienyl, indenyl, and heptamethylindenyl) catalysts were prepared and applied to propene polymerization using Al(i-Bu)(3) as cocatalyst. It was confirmed from the catalyst analysis that the ligand (X) is attached to titanium even after the reaction with Al(i-Bu)(3). When polymerization was conducted without any external donor, those catalysts predominantly gave atactic PP. However, addition of a suitable monofunctional Lewis base like ethylbenzoate caused to change the stereospecificity of polymer from aspecific into highly isospecific. On the other hand, the use of a bifunctional donor like di-n-butylphthalate killed the activity almost completely. The isotactic PP was found to have a microstructure similar to that obtained with metallocene catalysts.
Keywords:ZIEGLER-NATTA CATALYSTS;SYNDIOTACTIC POLYMERIZATION;PROPYLENE POLYMERIZATION;POLYPROPENE;STYRENE