Novel High-Efficiency Single-Site Rare Earth (RE) Catalyst System for Isoprene Polymerization
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Bis-(o-dipheylphosphinophenyl)amine, a tridentate (PNP) chelating ligand, and several of their Rare Earth (RE) metal complexes, [bis-(o-dipheylphosphinophenyl)amido]-RER2, {[(C6H5)2P-o-(C6H4)]2NMR2 (R = -CH2-o-(C6H4)NMe2: M = Y, 1; Nd, 2; Gd, 3;), are prepared in high yields. When activated with the strong Lewis acid MMAO-7, all these complexes exhibit catalytic activity toward the polymerization of isoprene (IP) in non-protic hydrocarbons. While the Nd complex (2) showed moderate activity and stereoselectivity, the Y and Gd complexes (1 and 3) exhibited extremely high catalytic efficiency in IP homo-polymerization, and produced polyisoprene rubber (PI) with 95% to over 99% cis-1,4 stereoselectivity and narrow polydispersity indices (<2.0). Moreover, under industrially relevant conditions, complex 3 can catalyze IP to produce ultrahigh molecular weight PI (UHMW-PI, MW up to 1200–2600 kg/mol) rubber with a very narrow polydispersity index (PDI ca. 1.1–1.6), a high-performance elastomeric material mimic of natural rubber (NR).
Source: Polymers
Authors: Di Kang, Rongqing Ma, Hongfan Hu, Yi Zhou, Guoliang Mao, Shixuan Xin
Institution: Northeast Petroleum University
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Award: G3414117644
OpenAlex ID: W4409920560