Metallocene Catalyzed Copolymerization of Propene with Mono- and Diolefins

To compare the copolymerization behavior of propene with mono- and diolefins, the copolymerization of propene with 1-octene as well as 1,7-octadiene and 1,9-decadiene was investigated. Aim of the investigations was the synthesis of polymers with different chain structures. The copolymerization of propene with 1-octene leads to copolymers with hexyl side chains. In contrast to this, the result of the copolymerization of propene with linear, nonconjugated diolefins is a copolymer containing both linear side chains and cyclic units in one polymer chain. The result is a cycloolefin copolymer containing free double bonds which can be used for further modification reactions. A syndiospecific, an aspecific and two isospecific metallocene catalysts in combination with methylaluminoxane were used for propene/ 1-octene copolymerization reactions to detect differences in polymerization behavior. The copolymerization of propene with linear, nonconjugated diolefins was carried out only by a constrained geometry catalyst. Furthermore, the interactions between comonomer and catalyst were investigated. It can be shown that catalyst activity, incorporation rate and reactivity parameters, respectively, as well as thermal and mechanical properties of the copolymers are strongly influenced by the type and amount of the comonomer or type of the catalyst used.