Propylene polymerization with unbridged rac- or meso-bis[1-(p-tolyl)indenyl]dichloro zirconium/methylaluminoxane catalyst

Abstract

A novel unbridged metallocene complex, (1-TolInd)(2)ZrCl2 (Tol = p-C6H4CH3) was prepared. Meso-like (1-TolInd)(2)ZrCl2 afforded a syndiotactic-dominant polypropylene having a short syndiotactic length at low temperatures (-30 degrees C). This stereosequence is due either to a weakly chain-end controlled or to a syndiotactic site controlled polymerization with site isomerization. Racemic isomer produced a completely atactic PP even at -30 degrees C.