Copolymerization of Ethylene with Norbornene by Neutral Aryl Phosphine Sulfonate Palladium Catalyst

Keto-Polyethylenes with Controlled Crystallinity and Materials Properties from Catalytic Ethylene-CO-Norbornene Terpolymerization

Recent advances in Ni(II) catalyzed, nonalternating catalytic copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide (CO) enable the synthesis of in-chain keto-functionalized polyethylenes (keto-PEs) with high-density polyethylene-like materials properties. Addition of norbornene as a bulky, noncrystallizable comonomer during catalytic polymerization allows tuning of the crystallinity in these keto-PE materials by randomly incorporated norbornene units in the polymer chain, while molecular weights are not adversely affected. Such crystallinity-reduced keto-PEs are characterized as softer materials with better ductility and may therefore be more suited for, e.g., potential film applications.

Norbornene Copolymerization with Polar Monomers Catalyzed by Palladium Catalysts Containing Imidazolidin-2-imine/Guanidine Ligands

The development of a palladium catalyst that has enhanced catalytic performance, such as low aluminum cocatalyst loading, good copolymerization ability, high molecular weight, and excellent solubility of the (co)polymers, is still a challenge in norbornene copolymerizations. Here, a series of PdCl2 and PdMeCl complexes containing differently substituted anilines and imidazolidin-2-imine/guanidine ligands was successfully synthesized and characterized. X-ray diffraction analysis results revealed that these Pd complexes adopted an almost square-planar geometry, and the six-membered chelate ring showed structural distinctions as compared to traditional N^N-based α-diimine and β-diimine Pd complexes. These Pd complexes were activated by EtAlCl2 and then exhibited moderate activity (104-105 g mol-1 h-1) and good thermal stability (up to 90 °C) for norbornene polymerization to produce high-molecular-weight PNBs (Mn up to 96.4 kg mol-1) with narrow polydispersities (PDI as low as 1.39). These Pd complexes also exhibited good polar group tolerance in the copolymerization of norbornene with methyl 5-norbornene-2-carboxylate and methyl 10-undecenoate, in which the activity was achieved up to 7.04 × 104 g mol-1 h-1. It furnished polar functionalized norbornene-based copolymers with high molecular weight (Mn up to 63.1 kg mol-1), narrow PDI, reasonable polar monomer incorporation, and good solubility. These Pd catalysts exhibited an enhanced copolymerization ability to produce PNB or NB-based copolymers, representing significant progress in this field.

A tridentate phenoxy-phosphine (POP) divalent chromium complex and its reactivities in olefin polymerization

We reported the synthesis and characterization of a Cr(ii) complex based on a tridentate phenoxy-phosphine ligand and studied its reactivities in ethylene and norbornene homopolymerization and ethylene copolymerization with norbornene or 1-octene.

Molecularly Defined Polyolefin Vitrimers from Catalytic Insertion Polymerization

Vitrimers can combine the advantageous properties of cross-linked materials with thermoplastic processability. For the prominent case of polyethylene, established post-polymerization introduction of cross-linkable moieties results in extremely heterogeneous compositions of the chains. Here, we report the generation of functionalized polyethylenes directly by catalytic insertion polymerization, with incorporated cross-linkable aryl boronic esters or alternatively acetal-protected groups suited for cross-linking with difunctional boronic esters. In addition to the desired homogeneous in-chain distribution, the reactive cross-linkable groups are enriched at the chain ends. This enables the incorporation of all chains in the network, as also supported by simulations of all chains' compositions. The uniform molecular composition of the chains reflects in resulting vitrimers' material properties, particularly lack of leaching with solvents. At the same time, cross-linking is indeed fully reversible and the vitrimers can be recycled.

A disubstituted-norbornene-based comonomer strategy to address polar monomer problem

The transition-metal-catalyzed copolymerization of olefins with polar comonomers is a direct strategy to access polar-functionalized polyolefins in an economical manner. Due to the intrinsic poisoning effect of polar groups towards Lewis acidic metal centers and the drastic reactivity differences of polar comonomers versus non-polar olefins, it is challenging to develop catalysts that provide the desired polymer molecular weight, comonomer incorporation, and activity. In this contribution, we tackle this issue from a comonomer perspective using 5,6-disubstituted norbornenes, which are highly versatile, easily accessible, inexpensive, and capable of introducing two functional groups in a single insertion. More importantly, they are only mildly poisoning due to the presence of long spacers between double bonds and polar groups, and are not prone to β-hydride elimination due to their cyclic structures. As strong π-donors, they can competitively bind to metal centers versus olefins. Indeed, phosphine-sulfonate palladium catalysts can catalyze the copolymerization of ethylene with 5,6-disubstituted norbornenes and simultaneously achieve a high polymerization activity, copolymer molecular weight, and comonomer incorporation. The practicality of this system was demonstrated by studying the properties of the resulting polymers, copolymerization in hydrocarbon solvents or in bulk, recovery/utilization of unreacted comonomer, molecular weight modulation, and large-scale synthesis.

Optically Transparent Functional Polyolefin Elastomer with Excellent Mechanical and Thermal Properties

Synthesis of a variety of optically transparent polyolefin elastomers consisting of hard segment of polynorbornene and several kinds of soft segments such as atactic polypropylene, poly(ethylene-co-propylene), and poly(ethylene-co-1-hexene) was achieved. The block copolymers exhibited excellent toughness and thermal property with efficient elastic recovery. Most importantly, the introduction of hydroxyl group into polynorbornene segment not only modulated surface property of block copolymers, but also improved their mechanical properties.

Improving the flame retardancy of polyethylenes through the palladium-catalyzed incorporation of polar comonomers

The flame retardancy of polyethylenes can be efficiently improved through the palladium catalyzed copolymerization of ethylene with polar comonomers.

Efficient ethylene copolymerization with polar monomers using palladium anilinonaphthoquinone catalysts

Copolymerizations of ethylene with methyl acrylate (MA) and 5-norbornen-2-yl acetate (NB_AC) were explored using anilinonaphthoquinone-ligated palladium catalysts.

Homo- and Copolymerizations of Ethylene and Norbornene Using Bis(β-ketoamino) Titanium Catalysts Containing Pyrazolone Rings

A series of bis(β-ketoamino) titanium complexes containing pyrazolone rings (1⁻3) have been synthesized, characterized, and used as precursors for homo- and copolymerization of ethylene and norbornene. The titanium complexes activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO) exhibited good activities for homopolymerization of ethylene (E) to produce linear polyethylenes (PEs). Ethylene⁻norbornene copolymers (E⁻N) were also prepared by these catalysts with moderate activities, and influences of ligand substituents and norbornene addition on copolymer microstructure were studied in detail. Microstructure analysis of the E⁻N copolymers by 13C NMR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques showed that alternating (ENEN) and isolated (ENEE) norbornene predominately appeared in the copolymer chain, and the NN dyad and NNN triad sequences were also present in the copolymers obtained by the less bulky catalyst 1.

Kinetics, Mechanism and Theoretical Studies of Norbornene-Ethylene Alternating Copolymerization Catalyzed by Organopalladium(II) Complexes Bearing Hemilabile α-Amino-pyridine

Cationic methylpalladium complexes bearing hemilabile bidentate α-amino-pyridines can serve as effective precursors for catalytic alternating copolymerization of norbornene (N) and ethylene (E), under mild conditions. The norbornyl palladium complexes in the formula of {[RHNCH₂(o-C₆H₄N)]Pd(C₇H10Me)(NCMe)}(BF₄) (R = iPr (2a), tBu (2b), Ph (2c), 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃ (2d), 2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃ (2e)) were synthesized via single insertion of norbornene into the corresponding methylpalladium complexes 1a-1e, respectively. Both square planar methyl and norbornyl palladium complexes exhibit facile equilibria of geometrical isomerization, via sterically-controlled amino decoordination-recoordination of amino-pyridine. Kinetic studies of E-insertion, N-insertion of complexes 1 and 2, and the geometric isomerization reactions have been examined by means of VT-NMR, and found in excellent agreement with the results estimated by DFT calculations. The more facile N-insertion in the cis-isomers, and ready geometric isomerization, cooperatively lead to a new mechanism that accounts for the novel catalytic formation of alternating COC.

Modulating polyolefin properties through the incorporation of nitrogen-containing polar monomers

In this work, ethylene copolymerization and terpolymerization reactions with some nitrogen-containing monomers were investigated using α-diimine palladium and phosphine-sulfonate palladium catalysts.

Phosphine-sulfonate-based nickel catalysts: ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with polar-functionalized norbornenes

A series of biaryl-based phosphine-sulfonate nickel catalysts are shown to mediate efficient ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with polar-functionalized norbornene comonomers.

Insertion Homo- and Copolymerization of Diallyl Ether

The previously unresolved issue of polymerization of allyl monomers CH2 CHCH2 X is overcome by a palladium-catalyzed insertion polymerization of diallyl ether as a monomer. An enhanced 2,1-insertion of diallyl ether as compared to mono-allyl ether retards the formation of an unreactive five-membered cyclic O-chelate (after 1,2-insertion) that otherwise hinders further polymerization, and also enhances incorporation in ethylene polymers (20.4 mol %). Cyclic ether repeat units are formed selectively (96 %-99 %) by an intramolecular insertion of the second allyl moiety of the monomer. These features even enable a homopolymerization to yield polymers (poly-diallyl ether) with degrees of polymerization of DPn ≈44.

Norbornene homopolymerization and copolymerization with ethylene by phosphine-sulfonate nickel catalysts

Phosphine-sulfonate nickel catalyzed norbornene homopolymerization and copolymerization with ethylene with an interesting response to B(C₆F₅)₃ additive.

Bypassing the lack of reactivity of endo-substituted norbornenes with the catalytic rectification-insertion mechanism

The novel rectification–insertion mechanism for the polymerization of polar norbornenes: making alternating copolymers from a single monomer.

The catalytic 1,2-insertion polymerization of polar norbornenes (NBEs) leads to the formation of functional rigid macromolecules with exceptional thermal, optical and mechanical properties. However, this remarkable reaction is plagued by the low reactivity of the polar monomers, and most notably of those bearing a functional group in endo position. We have examined the polymerization mechanism of NBEs bearing one or two CO₂Me groups either in exo or endo position catalyzed by the so-called naked allyl Pd⁺ SbF₆^– catalyst (1). Although endo dimethyl ester of 5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (NBE(CO₂Me)₂) is polymerized by 1, two endo units are never inserted consecutively along the polymer chain. Indeed, 1 is a tandem catalyst which not only catalyzes the insertion of the monomer but also the isomerization of endo and exo isomers. Thus, the polymerization of endo monomers proceeds via a novel mechanism, coined rectification–insertion mechanism, whereby half of the endo monomers are rectified into exo ones prior insertion, leading to the formation of an alternating endo–exo copolymer using an endo only feedstock. With this mechanism, the lack of reactivity of endo norbornenes is bypassed, and the polymerization of predominantly endo polar NBEs bearing a variety of functionalities such as esters, imides, acids, aldehydes, alcohols, anhydrides, or alkyl bromides proceeds with catalyst loadings as low as 0.002 mol%.

Polymerization of norbornene using chiral bis(phenolate) zirconium catalysts

Norbornene is polymerized by employing zirconium catalysts with (OSSO)-type bis(phenolate) ligands. The racemic precatalyst rac-1 produces high molecular weight poly(norbornene) with slight optical activity. Enantiopure precatalysts (S,S)-1 and (R,R)-1 are used to study the optical induction in the poly(norbornene)s formed. To overcome the insolubility of poly(norbornene)s in common solvents, their microstructure is studied using copolymers with ethylene as well as hydrooligomers. The crystal structure of a norbornene tetramer is reported.