Ziegler-Natta

The sixth site of the Ti centers comprises defects, where some Ti centers lack their full complement of chloride ligands. The alkene molecule will bind at these vacancies. In ways that are still not fully clear, the alkene converts to an alkyl ligand group. The stereospecific nature of the alkane produced is facilitated by restriction of the coordination sphere of the titanium atom [12], 

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Tiianium(III) chloride, TiClj. Violet or brown solid (TiCU plus H3 at 700°C TiCU plus AIR3 (brown form)). Forms violet 6 hydrate. Used as a reducing agent. The fibrous brown form is an active agent in the Ziegler-Natta siereoregular polymerization of olefines. 

Ziegler-Natta polymerization Stereospecific polymerization of olefines using a Ziegler catalyst. See titanium(IIl) chloride. 

Boero M, M Parrinello and K Terakura 1999. Ziegler-Natta Heterogeneous Catalysis by First Piincip Computer Experiments. Surface Science 438 1-8. 

Before the development of the Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems (Section 6 21) polymer ization of propene was not a reaction of much value The reason for this has a stereo chemical basis Consider a section of polypropylene... 

When propene is polymerized under free radical conditions the polypropylene that results IS atactic Catalysts of the Ziegler-Natta type however permit the preparation of either isotactic or syndiotactic polypropylene We see here an example of how proper choice of experimental conditions can affect the stereochemical course of a chemical reaction to the extent that entirely new materials with unique properties result... 

Coordination polymerization of isoprene using Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems (Section 6 21) gives a material similar in properties to natural rubber as does polymerization of 1 3 butadiene Poly(1 3 buta diene) is produced in about two thirds the quantity of SBR each year It too finds its principal use in tires... 

The preparation and structure determination of ferrocene marked the beginning of metallocene chemistry Metallocenes are organometallic compounds that bear cyclo pentadiemde ligands A large number are known even some m which uranium is the metal Metallocenes are not only stucturally interesting but many of them have useful applications as catalysts for industrial processes Zirconium based metallocenes for example are the most widely used catalysts for Ziegler-Natta polymerization of alkenes We 11 have more to say about them m Section 14 15... 

Zirconium lies below tita mum in the periodic table so was an obvious choice in the search for other Ziegler-Natta catalysts... 

The earliest Ziegler-Natta catalysts were combinations of titanium tetrachloride (T1CI4) and diethylalummum chloride [(CH3CH2)2A1C1] but these have given way to more effective zirconium based metallocenes the simplest of which is bis(cyclopentadi enyl)zirconmm dichlonde (Section 14 14)... 

FIGURE 14 5 Mechanism for the polymerization of ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst... 

Section 14 15 Coordination polymerization of ethylene and propene has the biggest eco nomic impact of any organic chemical process Ziegler-Natta polymer ization IS carried out using catalysts derived from transition metals such as titanium and zirconium tt Bonded and ct bonded organometallic com pounds are intermediates m coordination polymerization... 

In spite of the assortment of things discussed in this chapter, there are also a variety of topics that could be included but which are not owing to space limitations. We do not discuss copolymers formed by the step-growth mechanism, for example, or the use of Ziegler-Natta catalysts to regulate geometrical isomerism in, say, butadiene polymerization. Some other important omissions are noted in passing in the body of the chapter. 

The fundamental Ziegler-Natta recipe consists of two components the halide or some other compound of a transition metal from among the group IVB to VIIIB elements and an organometallic compound of a representative metal from groups lA to IIIA. Some of the transition metal compounds that have been... 

Among other possible reactions, these free radicals can initiate ordinary free-radical polymerization. The Ziegler-Natta systems are thus seen to encompass several mechanisms for the initiation of polymerization. Neither ionic nor free-radical mechanisms account for stereoregularity, however, so we must look further for the mechanism whereby the Ziegler-Natta systems produce this interesting effect. 

The stereoregulating capability of Ziegler-Natta catalysts is believed to depend on a coordination mechanism in which both the growing polymer chain and the monomer coordinate with the catalyst. The addition then occurs by insertion of the monomer between the growing chain and the catalyst by a concerted mechanism [XIX] ... 

The assortment of combinations of components is not the only variable to consider in describing Ziegler-Natta catalysts. Some other variables include the following ... 

At present it is not possible to determine which of these mechanisms or their variations most accurately represents the behavior of Ziegler-Natta catalysts. In view of the number of variables in these catalyzed polymerizations, both mechanisms may be valid, each for different specific systems. In the following example the termination step of coordination polymerizations is considered. 

Figure 7.14 (a) The insertion of a propylene molecule into a site vacancy in the Ziegler-Natta catalyst, (b) The... 

In the commercial process for the production of polypropylene by Ziegler-Natta catalysts, hydrogen is added to terminate the reaction, so neither of these reactions is pertinent to this process. 

On the basis of these observations, criticize or defend the following proposition Regardless of the monomer used, zero-order Markov (Bernoulli) statistics apply to all free radical, anionic, and cationic polymerizations, but not to Ziegler-Natta catalyzed systems. 

The weight percent propylene in ethylene-propylene copolymers for different Ziegler-Natta catalysts was measuredt for the initial polymer produced from identical feedstocks. The following results were obtained ... 

Ziegler-Natta catalyst Ziegler-Natta catalysts... 

Metal Alibis and Alkoxides. Metal alkyls (eg, aluminum boron, sine alkyls) are fairly active catalysts. Hyperconjugation with the electron-deficient metal atom, however, tends to decrease the electron deficiency. The effect is even stronger in alkoxides which are, therefore, fairly weak Lewis acids. The present discussion does not encompass catalyst systems of the Ziegler-Natta type (such as AIR. -H TiCl, although certain similarities with Friedel-Crafts systems are apparent. 

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