Zirconium alkyl halides, polymerization

Polymerization of Ethylene by Zirconium Alkyl Halides in Toluene at 80°C. Concentration 3.00 X 10 3 mole liter-1 Ethylene Partial Pressure 10 atm.Hydrogen Partial Pressure 10 atm (9, 16)... 

Titanium and zirconium tetrabenzyl and the mixed metal—benzyl halides are soluble in hydrocarbon solvents and will polymerize ethylene and a-olefins, the latter to stereo-specific polymers [64], The structures of the true initiators are not known but they are unlikely to be the simple organo-metal compounds. Catalysts of higher activity are obtained when they are used in combination with aluminium alkyls. It is of interest to note that titanium tetra(dimethyl amide) reacts with acrylonitrile to form an active species, which then forms high molecular weight polymer by coordination polymerization [65]. 

Before the 1970s, Ziegler-Natta catalysts for a-olefin production were normally prepared from certain compounds of transition metals of Groups IV-VI of the periodic table (Ti, V, Cr, etc.) in combination with an organoraetallic alkyl or aryl (Table I). Practically all subhalides of transition metals have been claimed as catalysts in stereoregular polymerization. Only those elements with a first work function <4 eV and a first ionization potential <7 V yield sufficiently active halides, that is, titanium, vanadium, chromium, and zirconium (7, Only titanium chlorides have gained widespread acceptance in crystalline polyolefin production. 

A great number of norbornene-like monomers [e.g., m = 1-3, R] and R2 = alkyl and aryl groups, Eqs. (103) and (104)] with or without substituents have been employed in polymerization reactions induced by Ziegler-Natta and ROMP catalysts derived from ruthenium, osmium, iridium, palladium, platinum, molybdenum, and tungsten halides or vanadium and zirconium halides or acetylacetonate associated with organometallic compounds [162, 163]. Both addition and ring-opened polymers have been obtained by this way depending on the catalyst employed [Eqs. (103) and (104)]. 

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