Synthesis and properties of poly-1-olefins

The oligomerization and polymerization of 1-pentene using Cp2ZrCl2, Cp2HfCl 2, [(CH3)(5)C-5](2)ZrCl2, rac-[C2H4(Ind)(2)]ZrCl2, [(CH3)(2)Si- (Ind)(2)]Zr Cl2, (CH3)(2)Si(2-methylbenz[e]indenyl)(2)ZrCl2, Cp2ZrCl-{O(Me)CW(CO)(5)}, Cp2ZrCl(OMe) and methylaluminoxane (MAO) has been studied. The degree of po lymerization was highly dependent on the metallocene catalyst. Oligomers ra nging from the dimer of 1-pentene to polymers of poly-1-pentene with a mola r mass M-W = 149000 g/mol were formed. Cp2ZrCl{O(Me)CW(CO)(5)} is a new hig hly active catalyst for the oligomerization of 1-pentene to low molecular w eight products. The activity decreases in the order Cp2ZrCl{O(Me)CW(CO)(5)} > Cp2ZrCl2 > Cp2ZrCl(OMe). Furthermore, poly-1-olefins ranging from poly-1 -pentene to poly-1-octadecene were synthesized with (CH3)(2)Si(2-methyl-ben z[e]indenyl)(2)ZrCl2 and methylaluminoxane (MAO) at different temperatures. The temperature dependence of the molar mass can be described by a common exponential decay function irrespective of the investigated monomer.