EP(D) M-synthesis with highly active homogeneous and heterogeneous metallocene/MAO-catalysts

Copolymerizations of ethene and propene were carried out either with the soluble catalyst systems dimethylsilylbis(2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl)zirconiumdichloride/methylaluminoxane (MAO) (1), isopropylidenecyclopenradienylfluorenylzirconiumdichloride/MAO (2) and isopropylidene(3-methylcyclopentadienyl)fluorenylzirconiumchloride/MAO (3) in toluene or with the supported metallocenes (1)/SiO2, (2)/SiO2 and (3)/SiO2 in the gas phase. Furthermore, terpolymerizations of ethene, propene and 5-ethylidene-2-norbomene (ENB) were performed with the homogeneous system (3) and with the heterogeneous system (3)/SiO2 in the gas phase. The physical and chemical properties of the resulting polymers were compared in order to examine the behavior of the metallocenes when supported. In general, they work in much the same way as their soluble counterparts and the synthesis of EP(D)M co(ter)polymers with the above mentioned metallocenes can easily be transfered to gas phase processes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.