N,N-Bis(2,4-Dibenzhydryl-6-cycloalkylphenyl)butane-2,3-diimine–Nickel Complexes as Tunable and Effective Catalysts for High-Molecular-Weight PE Elastomers

Bibliographic Details
Title: N,N-Bis(2,4-Dibenzhydryl-6-cycloalkylphenyl)butane-2,3-diimine–Nickel Complexes as Tunable and Effective Catalysts for High-Molecular-Weight PE Elastomers
Authors: Shu Jiang, Yuting Zheng, Irina V. Oleynik, Zhixin Yu, Gregory A. Solan, Ivan I. Oleynik, Ming Liu, Yanping Ma, Tongling Liang, Wen-Hua Sun
Source: Molecules, Vol 28, Iss 12, p 4852 (2023)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Organic chemistry
Subject Terms: nickel, polyethylene elastomers, high activity, high molecular weight, good control, activator effects, Organic chemistry, QD241-441
More Details: Four examples of N,N-bis(aryl)butane-2,3-diimine–nickel(II) bromide complexes, [ArN=C(Me)-C(Me)=NAr]NiBr2 (where Ar = 2-(C5H9)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2 (Ni1), Ar = 2-(C6H11)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2 (Ni2), 2-(C8H15)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2 (Ni3) and 2-(C12H23)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2 (Ni4)), disparate in the ring size of the ortho-cycloalkyl substituents, were prepared using a straightforward one-pot synthetic method. The molecular structures of Ni2 and Ni4 highlight the variation in the steric hindrance of the ortho-cyclohexyl and -cyclododecyl rings exerted on the nickel center, respectively. By employing EtAlCl2, Et2AlCl or MAO as activators, Ni1–Ni4 displayed moderate to high activity as catalysts for ethylene polymerization, with levels falling in the order Ni2 (cyclohexyl) > Ni1 (cyclopentyl) > Ni4 (cyclododecyl) > Ni3 (cyclooctyl). Notably, cyclohexyl-containing Ni2/MAO reached a peak level of 13.2 × 106 g(PE) of (mol of Ni)−1 h−1 at 40 °C, yielding high-molecular-weight (ca. 1 million g mol−1) and highly branched polyethylene elastomers with generally narrow dispersity. The analysis of polyethylenes with 13C NMR spectroscopy revealed branching density between 73 and 104 per 1000 carbon atoms, with the run temperature and the nature of the aluminum activator being influential; selectivity for short-chain methyl branches (81.8% (EtAlCl2); 81.1% (Et2AlCl); 82.9% (MAO)) was a notable feature. The mechanical properties of these polyethylene samples measured at either 30 °C or 60 °C were also evaluated and confirmed that crystallinity (Xc) and molecular weight (Mw) were the main factors affecting tensile strength and strain at break (εb = 353–861%). In addition, the stress–strain recovery tests indicated that these polyethylenes possessed good elastic recovery (47.4–71.2%), properties that align with thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs).
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1420-3049
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/12/4852; https://doaj.org/toc/1420-3049
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124852
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/a8c42dbda14940b9ba006211c0399524
Accession Number: edsdoj.8c42dbda14940b9ba006211c0399524
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:14203049
DOI:10.3390/molecules28124852
Published in:Molecules
Language:English