EP(D) M-synthesis with highly active homogeneous and heterogeneous metallocene/MAO-catalysts

Copolymerizations of ethene and propene were carried out either with the so luble catalyst systems dimethylsilylbis(2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl)zirconiumd ichloride/methylaluminoxane (MAO) (1), isopropylidenecyclopenradienylfluore nylzirconiumdichloride/MAO (2) and isopropylidene(3-methylcyclopentadienyl) fluorenylzirconiumchloride/MAO (3) in toluene or with the supported metallo cenes (1)/SiO2, (2)/SiO2 and (3)/SiO2 in the gas phase. Furthermore, terpol ymerizations of ethene, propene and 5-ethylidene-2-norbomene (ENB) were per formed with the homogeneous system (3) and with the heterogeneous system (3 )/SiO2 in the gas phase. The physical and chemical properties of the result ing polymers were compared in order to examine the behavior of the metalloc enes when supported. In general, they work in much the same way as their so luble counterparts and the synthesis of EP(D)M co(ter)polymers with the abo ve mentioned metallocenes can easily be transfered to gas phase processes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.