Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.24, No.2, 180-184, 2003
Ultimately specific 1,4-cis polymerization of 1,3-butadiene with a novel gadolinium catalyst
Novel complexes [(C5Me5)(2)Ln][B-(C6F5)(4)] (Ln-Pr, Nd, or Gd) were prepared, which in combination with 'Bu3Al efficiently induce highly 1,4-cis-specific polymerization of butadiene. The activity of the Gd complex/Bu3Al system is high enough to exhibit good catalytic activity even at low temperature. Polymerization at -78degreesC gave polybutadiene with nearly perfect 1,4-cis-microstructure (>99.9% with sharp molecular weight distribution ((M) over bar (w)/(M) over bar (n) = 1.45) and in reasonable yield.