COPOLYMERIZATION OF PROPENE AND CYCLOPENTENE WITH THE METALLOCENE CATALYST (CH3)(2)SI[IND](2)ZRCL2 METHYLALUMINOXANE/

The copolymerization of propene with cyclopentene was carried out with the isospecific metallocene catalyst (CH3)(2)Si[Ind]2ZrCI2/methylalum inoxane at 60 degrees C in toluene. Compared to propene the reactivity of the cyclic olefin in the copolymerization is very low. The composi tion of the copolymers was determined by the use of H-1 NMR spectrosco py. The cyclopentene contents are in the range from 0.5 to 30.5 mole % . The copolymerization parameters calculated are r(1) = 40 and r(2) = 0.001. The molecular weight of the copolymers declines with increasing comonomer content. The crystallinity of the copolymers was found to b e immensely disturbed by the incorporation of cyclopentene units. The melting behaviour studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) m easurements is characterized by a decrease of the melting points with rising comonomer content. Polycyclopentene is a partly crystalline pol ymer. Its melting point was found to be 382 degrees C.