Ethylene Polymerization with homogeneous FI Catalysts

Zirconium(IV) complexes bearing phenoxy-imino ligands are known to possess high ethene polymerisation activities after MAO activation. Depending on the ligand, the activities of the catalysts in polymerisation can vary. Depending on the polymerisation conditions and the electronic and steric properties of the catalyst ligands, low to high molar mass values with different polydispersity values can been observed. In order to discover the reasons for these differences, several zirconium(IV) complexes containing differently substituted phenoxy-imino derivatives ligands were synthesised with high yields and used as homogeneous catalysts in ethene polymerization. The experimental part consists mainly of development of new Group IV metal complexes bearing [O,N] ligands and therefore modification of the FI catalysts as well as their use as in ethylene polymerization. In this book the complex structures were designed so that the ligand frameworks could be fairly easily modified. Effects of the ligand framework as well as mechanical and fluxional behaviour of the complexes on the catalyst activity are discussed