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Regioselective Polymerizations of α-Olefins with an α-Diamine Nickel Catalyst

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Abstract

Polymerizations of linear α-olefins (CnH2n, CH2 = CH―R, R = Cn−2) catalyzed by early transition metals typically afford amorphous polymers with alkyl chains (Cn−2), while chain-straightening polymerizations of α-olefins with nickel-based catalysts produce semicrystalline polyolefins. Polymerizations of various α-olefins were carried out using an α-diamine nickel catalyst with a significantly distorted chelating ring. The influences of temperature, monomer concentration, and chain length of α-olefins on polyolefin microstructure were examined in detail. The α-diamine nickel catalyst realized highly regioselective 2,1-insertion of α-olefins regardless of reaction temperature and monomer concentration. Increased chain length of α-olefins led to the formation of more linear polyolefin. Semicrystalline polyolefins with high melting temperatures (Tm) were made from α-olefins through highly regioselective 2,1-insertion and precise chain-straightening.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21674130, 51873234), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2017A030310 349), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 17lgjc02), and PetroChina Innovation Foundation (No. 2017D- 5007-0505).

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  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, PCFM Lab, GD HPPC Lab, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Heng Liao, Jie Gao, Liu Zhong, Hai-Yang Gao & Qing Wu

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  1. Heng Liao
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  2. Jie Gao
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  3. Liu Zhong
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Correspondence to Hai-Yang Gao.

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Invited article for special issue of “The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Prof. Shi-Lin Yang”

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Liao, H., Gao, J., Zhong, L. et al. Regioselective Polymerizations of α-Olefins with an α-Diamine Nickel Catalyst. Chin J Polym Sci 37, 959–965 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-019-2227-y

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