Chain transfer reaction in metallocene catalyzed ethylene copolymerization with allyltrimethylsilane

Abstract

In order to investigate the polymerization behavior of allytrimethylsilane as a comonomer, ethylene was copolymerized with allyltrimethylsilane at 80 degrees C in toluene using methylaluminoxane (MAO) activated metallocene catalysts. The catalytic activity of the polymerization strongly depended on both the type of the catalysts and the concentration of allyltrimethylsilane. End group analysis of the copolymers by means of H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy revealed that allyltrimethylsilane rather act as a chain transfer agent in the copolymerization, even though considerable amount of allyltrimethylsilane was incorporated in the polymer chain with rac-Et(Ind)(2)ZrCl2 catalysts. The chain transfer reaction influence strongly the molecular weight and comonomer content of the copolymers.