POLYMERIZATION OF BUTADIENE AND ISOPRENE WITH LANTHANIDE CATALYSTS - CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES OF HOMOPOLYMERS AND COPOLYMERS

This report describes some aspects of the stereospecific polymerization of dienes with newly developed lanthanide coordination catalysts. The catalyst systems consist of lanthanide compounds complexed with organic ligands, in conjunction with organoaluminums. These novel lanthanide catalysts are very active and efficient for diene polymerization. Unlike some other lanthanide catalysts reported in literature, these newly developed catalysts can produce polymers with a broad range of molecular weights.