Synthesis of elastomeric polypropylene in bulk using C1-symmetric ansa-metallocenes. New aspects of the synthesis of 1-(fluoren-9-yl)-2-(2-methyl-5,6-dihydrocyclopenta [f]-1H-inden-1-yl)ethane and complexes of zirconium and hafnium with this ligand

Isomeric 1-(fluoren-9-yl)-2-(2-methyl-5, 6-dihydrocyclopenta [f]-1 H-indenyl) ethanes 1a,b and C1-symmetric metallocenes, viz., rac-1-(η5-fluoren-9-yl)-2-(2-methyl-5, 6-dihydrocyclopenta [f]-η5-inden-1-yl) ethanezirconium dichloride (9) and rac-1-(η5-fluoren-9-yl)- 2-(2-methyl-5, 6-dihydrocyclopenta [f]η5-inden-1-yl)ethanehafnium dichloride (10), with these ligands were synthesized by modified procedures. The structures of compounds 1b (two crystalline modifications) and 10 were established by X-ray diffraction analysis. The synthesis of polypropylene (PP) in bulk was studied in the presence of polymethylalumoxane-activated metallocenes 9 and 10 in the temperature range of 30–70°C. It was demonstrated that triisobutylaluminum can be used as a cocatalyst. In this case, the molecular weight of PP increases by a factor of ∼2. An increase in the reaction temperature leads to an increase in stereoregularity and crystallinity of PP. The polymer synthesized at high temperatures crystallizes in the γ form. The resulting PP is characterized by a wide range of properties from rigid crystalline thermoplastic to amorphous elastomeric. Samples, which have a high molecular weight and moderate isotacticity, exhibit high elastomeric and durability properties.