Self-immobilization of methylaluminoxane in metallocene-induced olefin polymerization reactions

Metallocene complexes carrying one or two omega-alkenyl ligands were activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO) to give homogeneous catalyst solutions. The reaction with ethylene formed heterogeneous catalysts by self-immobilization. In the activation step, the w-alkenyl groups were transferred from the metal of the metallocene complex to the activating MAO agent and then underwent copolymerization reactions with ethylene induced by other active sites. This method is a universal approach to the heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts by copolymerization with omega-alkenyl functionalized cocatalysts. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.