NOVEL SINGLE-SITE CATALYSTS CONTAINING A PLATINUM-GROUP METAL AND A MACROCYCLIC SULFUR LIGAND FOR ETHYLENE POLYMERIZATION

The reactions of RhCl3 . 3H(2)O and PtCl4 with 1,4,7-trithiacyclononan e in ethanol lead to the formation of (S-3-ethano-9)RhCl3 and (S-3-eth ano-9)PtCl4, respectively. The complexes catalyzed polymerization of e thylene in pentane in the presence of methylalumoxane (MAO) at 70 degr ees C and at ethylene pressure of 10 bar. The obtained polyethylenes h ad an averaged molecular weight of M(w) = 272,000 ((S-3-ethano-9)RhCl3 ) and 901,000 ((S-3-ethano-9)PtCl4) and narrow molecular weight distri butions of M(w)/M(n) = 2.95 (M(n) = 92,000) ((S-3-ethano-9)RhCl3) and M(w)/M(n) = 4.0 (M(n) = 226,000) ((S-3-ethano-9)PtCl4). On the basis o f the narrow molecular weight distribution the catalysts can be consid ered as single-site catalysts.