Catalytic activity of some organolanthanoid derivatives in styrene and propene polymerization

Organolanthanoids of several classes were examined as potential styrene and propene polymerization catalysts. They are: molecular hydrides of divalent lanthanoids (samarium, europium, ytterbium); naphthalene and stilbene comp lexes of neodymium(III), samarium(II), europium(II), ytterbium(II), lutetiu m(III); amides and alkoxides (including heterobifunctional derivatives) of praseodymium(III), neodymium(In), samarium(II), europium(II), thulium(III), ytterbium(II, LII); thiolate of samarium(III); phenyl and phenylethinyl de rivatives of europium(II), thulium(III), ytterbium(II); methylytterbium clu ster Yb-8 (mu -CH3)(14)(mu -L -CH2)(THF)(6); heterobimetallic samarium(II), ytterbium(TI, III) complexes; diazabutadiene ytterbium(III) derivatives; m etallic praseodymium and ytterbium, activated by iodine. The highest activi ty in styrene polymerization revealed hydrides, naphthalene and stilbene co mplexes of samarium(II), europium(LI) and ytterbium(II). In the propene pol ymerization only [(eta (5)-C5H4)CH2CH (CHzOBu)(eta (1)-O)]YbMe(THF) display ed noticeable activity. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.