Novel bis(acetylacetonate)palladium/boron trifluoride etherate catalyst system for the polymerization of norbornene

Abstract

The boron trifluoride etherate, BF3OEt2, was used as an activator towards bis(acetylacetonate)palladium precursor in the polymerization of norbornene. The catalyst system Pd(Acac)(2)/BF3OEt2 was highly active in the polymerization of norbornene. Catalytic activity up to 20,220 kg/(mol Pd (.) h) and intrinsic viscosities up to 2.64 dL/g were observed, respectively. Catalytic activity, polymer yield and polymer molecular weight could be controlled by varying the reaction parameters. The molar mass distribution indicates a single-site, highly homogeneous character of the active catalyst species. NMR spectroscopy study of the polymer showed exclusively 2,7-enchained repeating units of polymer backbone. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.