An efficient yttrium catalysed version of the “Aufbaureaktion” for the synthesis of terminal functionalised polyethylene

The cationic lanthanoid alkyl complexes (NCN)YR(THF)+ (R = CH2SiMe3) bearing a NCN-ligand based on N,N’-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-benzamidine (AmH), N-[6-(2,4,6-triisopropyl-phenyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-(2,6-diisopropyl)aniline (ApH) or 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-2,2-dimethylguanidine (GuaH) combined with an excess of trialkyl aluminium compounds (AlR3; R = Et, iso-Bu, n-Oct) are efficient catalysts for the highly controlled coordinative chain transfer polymerisation (CCTP) of ethylene, a catalysed version of the “Aufbaureaktion”. The aluminium terminated polyethylene (PE) can be oxidised to yield long chain alcohols which are the basis for a diverse polymer chemistry.