Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (5): 797-802.doi: 10.1007/s40242-023-3149-3

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Macrocyclic Binuclear α-Diimine Nickel Catalysts for Ethylene Polymerization

YANG Jingshuang1,2, ZHANG Yuxing1,2, JIAN Zhongbao1,2   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China;
    2. School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
  • Received:2023-07-04 Online:2023-10-01 Published:2023-09-26
  • Contact: JIAN Zhongbao E-mail:zbjian@ciac.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.22122110) and the Science and Technology Department Program of Jilin Province, China (No.20230101347JC).

Abstract: Polyolefins are globally important plastics. Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution are two key parameters for determining the properties of polyolefin materials. In this contribution, we develop a strategy for combining the macrocyclic framework and the binuclear effect into the benchmark α-diimine late transition metal catalysts, and thus macrocyclic binuclear α-diimine nickel catalysts (Ni2-Me and Ni2-iPr) are prepared. Compared to the classical Brookhart's acyclic mononuclear α-diimine nickel analogues (Ni1-Me and Ni1-iPr), these nickel catalysts exhibit enhanced thermostability (up to 110℃) and produce polyethylenes with higher molecular weights (up to 7 times) and lower branching densities (as low as 9 branches/1000C) in methylaluminoxane (MAO) activated ethylene polymerization. This translates into the ability of the catalyst to afford more linear high molecular weight polyethylenes. In particular, bimodal polyethylenes with broad molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn=8.08-14.66) are generated by the sole catalyst. This work affords diverse polyethylenes.

Key words: Polyolefin, Nickel catalyst, Diimine ligand, Macrocyclic binuclear strategy, Bimodal polyethylene