Copolymerization of poly(propylene) macromonomer with ethylene by (tert-butanamide)dimethyl(tetramethyl-eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl)silanetitanium dichloride methylaluminoxane catalyst

The copolymerization of ethylene and a poly(propylene) macromonomer, the number-average polymerization degree (P-n) of which was about 11, was conducted with (tert-butanamide)dimethyl(tetramethyl-eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl)silanetitanium dichloride (CGC-Ti) combined with methylaluminoxane. The rate of ethylene consumption is increased by adding the macromonomer when copolymerization was carried out at 40 degrees C, whereas such rate enhancement could not be observed at 90 degrees C. It was found that the increase of ethylene polymerization rate is accompanied by the incorporation of the macromonomer. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and C-13 NMR measurements of the produced polymers, it was proved that the poly(propylene) macromonomer was copolymerized with the present CGC-Ti catalyst and the P-n value of the macromonomer incorporated in the copolymer does not influence the conversion of the macromonomer.