Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.129, No.33, 10102-10102, 2007
Organolanthanide-catalyzed synthesis of amine-capped polyethylenes
The chain transfer agent dicyclohexylamine is introduced into organolanthanide-mediated ethylene polymerizations to produce amine-terminated polyethylenes. The resulting polymers were characterized by H-1 and C-13 NMR, GPC, and DSC. Good polymerization activities (up to 10(4) g polymer/(mol Ln center dot atm ethylene center dot h)) and narrow polydispersities are observed in the polymerization/chain transfer process. Dicyclohexylamine-capped polyethylene product molecular weights are found to be inversely proportional to dicyclohexylamine concentration, supporting an amine chain transfer mechanism. The present study represents the first efficient catalytic method for introducing electron-rich amine groups into otherwise inert polyolefins.