Ziegler-Natta methods

Considerable effort in the 1970s by Pittman, George, Hayes, Korshak, and others was applied to exploring the addition polymerization of vinylferrocene 6.1 to give organic polymers with pendent ferrocenyl side groups (6.2 in reaction (l)).1 6 This type of polymerization reaction has been attempted with the use of free radical, cationic, anionic, and Ziegler-Natta methods. 

Styrene is one of the few monomers that may be polymerized by free-radical, anionic, cationic, or coordination (Ziegler-Natta) methods. This property, common to styrene and most of its derivatives, is the consequence of the availability of a benzylic position in these monomers, which is capable of stabilizing a radical, carbanionic, or carbocationic center, as well as possessing a polarizability amenable to the charge distributions required by coordination methods of polymerization. 

A number of block copolymers prepared with Ziegler-Natta catalysts have been reported however, in most cases the compositions may include significant amounts of homopolymer. The Ziegler-Natta method appears to be inferior to anionic polymerization for synthesizing carefully tailored block copolymers. Nevertheless, bock copolymers of ethylene and propylene (Eastman Kodak s Pofyallomers) have been commercialized. Unlike the elastomeric random copolymers of ethylene and propylene, these are high-impact plastics exhibiting crystallinity characteristics of both isotactic polypropylene and linear polyethylene. They also contain homopolymers in addition to block copolymers. 

Cationic initiation and Ziegler-Natta methods have also been employed successfully in order to obtain poly(vinylferrocene) [14]. Due to the electron-donating nature of a ferrocene substituent, it was initially believed that anionic initiators would not be able to induce the polymerization of vinylferrocene. However, in the early 1990s, living anionic polymerization of vinylferrocene in solution was achieved at low temperatures (-70°C to -30°C) in THE using alkyllithium initiators [15]. Block copolymers of poly(vinylferrocene) with poly(methyl methacrylate), PVEc-b-PMMA (2.5) or polystyrene, PVFc-h-PS, as coblocks were also reported (Scheme 2.1) [15]. 

Some monomers can only be polymerized by specific polymerization methods while some others can be polymerized by many methods. For example, styrene can be polymerized by fi-ee-radical, anionic or Ziegler-Natta methods, while vinyl chloride can be polymerized only by free-radical methods. Also, each polymerization method has specific attributes, which are reflected in the properties of the pol3uners. Thus, for example, polyethylene prepared by the free-radical polymerization of ethylene has a branched structure and has low mechanical strength. This is known as low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In contrast, polyethylene prepared by the Ziegler-Natta catalysis of ethylene has a linear structure and has higher mechanical strength. This is known as high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Thus, the choice of the polymerization method is dictated not only by the nature of the monomer but also by the properties that are required in the polymer. 

Polymer theory tends to emphasize simple systems, such as polyethylene. Unfortunately, ethylene polymerization, even using advanced Ziegler-Natta methods, is not controlled enough to allow production of, for example, a series of polyethyl-enes with M of 10,000,15,000, 20,000, etc. for comparison with theory. Suggest how olefin metathesis chemistry could provide a solution to this problem. 

There are several approaches to the preparation of multicomponent materials, and the method utilized depends largely on the nature of the conductor used. In the case of polyacetylene blends, in situ polymerization of acetylene into a polymeric matrix has been a successful technique. A film of the matrix polymer is initially swelled in a solution of a typical Ziegler-Natta type initiator and, after washing, the impregnated swollen matrix is exposed to acetylene gas. Polymerization occurs as acetylene diffuses into the membrane. The composite material is then oxidatively doped to form a conductor. Low density polyethylene (136,137) and polybutadiene (138) have both been used in this manner. 

Polybutadiene was first prepared in the early years of the 20th century by such methods as sodium-catalysed polymerisation of butadiene. However, the polymers produced by these methods and also by the later free-radical emulsion polymerisation techniques did not possess the properties which made them desirable rubbers. With the development of the Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems in the 1950s, it was possible to produce polymers with a controlled stereo regularity, some of which had useful properties as elastomers. 

We have reviewed experiments on two classes of systems, namely small metal particles and atoms on oxide surfaces, and Ziegler-Natta model catalysts. We have shown that metal carbonyls prepared in situ by reaction of deposited metal atoms with CO from the gas phase are suitable probes for the environment of the adsorbed metal atoms and thus for the properties of the nucleation site. In addition, examples of the distinct chemical and physical properties of low coordinated metal atoms as compared to regular metal adsorption sites were demonstrated. For the Ziegler-Natta model catalysts it was demonstrated how combination of different surface science methods can help to gain insight into a variety of microscopic properties of surface sites involved in the polymerization reaction. 

Ziegler-Natta catalysts for, 26 536-540 Random scission initiation, 23 372 Random thermal motion, in silicon-based semiconductors, 22 237-238 Random walk process, 26 1022 Raney nickel catalyst, 74 48 77 121 Raney-type catalysts, 25 195 Range of ambivalence, 76 700 Range quantities, methods for obtaining, 74 432... 

The initiation of polymerizations by metal-containing catalysts broadens the synthetic possibilities significantly. In many cases it is the only useful method to polymerize certain kinds of monomers or to polymerize them in a stereospecific way. Examples for metal-containing catalysts are chromium oxide-containing catalysts (Phillips-Catalysts) for ethylene polymerization, metal organic coordination catalysts (Ziegler-Natta catalysts) for the polymerization of ethylene, a-olefins and dienes (see Sect. 3.3.1), palladium catalysts and the metallocene catalysts (see Sect. 3.3.2) that initiate not only the polymerization of (cyclo)olefins and dienes but also of some polar monomers. 

Since its discovery more than 50 years ago, olefin metathesis has evolved from its origins in binary and ternary mixtures of the Ziegler-Natta type into a research area dominated by well-defined molecular catalysts. Surveys of developments up to 1993 were presented in COMC (1982) and COMC (1995). Major advances in ROMP over the last 10 years include the development of modular, stereoselective group 6 initiators, and easily handled, functional-group tolerant ruthenium initiators. The capacity to tailor polymer functionality, chain length, and microstructure has expanded applications in materials science, to the point where ROMP now constitutes one of the most powerful methods available for the molecular-level design of macromolecular materials. In addition to an excellent and comprehensive text on olefin metathesis, a three-volume handbook s has recently appeared, of which the third volume focuses specifically on applications of metathesis in polymer synthesis. 

Methods for identifying additional Ziegler-Natta co-catalysts in a catalyst system containing procatalysts magnesium and titanium are described by Campbell et al. (4). 

Research Focus Method for preparing poly(propene-l-butene-l-hexene) using a silyl/ zirconium-based Ziegler-Natta procatalyst. 

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