Ethylene Polymerization and Copolymerization with Polar Monomers Using Nickel Complexes Bearing Anilinobenzoic Acid Methyl Ester Ligand

• Main Authors: Hailong Cheng, Yue Su, Yanming Hu, Xuequan Zhang, Zhengguo Cai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-07-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: nickel catalyst; anilinobenzoic acid methyl ester; ethylene; polar monomer; copolymerization
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/10/7/754
• ISSN: 2073-4360

Neutral nickel complexes containing an anilinobenzoic acid methyl ester ligand are prepared and applied for the ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with polar monomers. The complex C2 containing isopropyl substituent on the aniline ligand conducts ethylene polymerization with high activity and good thermal stability. Most importantly, the catalyst promotes the copolymerization of ethylene and polar monomers with high activity (up to 277 kg·mol−1·h−1), affording ester-functionalized semicrystalline polyethylene with reasonable polar monomer content (up to 3.20 mol %).