Hafnium vs. Zirconium, the Perpetual Battle for Supremacy in Catalytic Olefin Polymerization: A Simple Matter of Electrophilicity?
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ABSTRACT: The performance of C2-symmetric ansa-hafnocene catalysts for isotactic polypropylene typically deteriorates at increasing temperature much faster than that of their zirconium analogues. Herein, we analyze in detail a set of five Hf/Zr metallocene pairs-including some of the latest generation catalysts-at medium- to high-polymerization temperature. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for stereoselectivity, the ratio allyl/vinyl chain ends, and 2,1/3,1 misinsertions in the polymer indicate a strong dependence of polymerization performance on electrophilicity of the catalyst, which is a function of the ligand framework and the metal center. Based on this insight, the stronger performance decline of hafnocenes is ascribed to electrophilicity-dependent stabilization effects.
SUBMITTER: Vittoria A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8400551 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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