Access to highly active and thermally stable iron procatalysts using bulky 2-[1-(2,6-dibenzhydryl-4-methylphenylimino)ethyl]-6-[1-(arylimino)ethyl]pyridine ligands

Abstract

Ethylene polymerization was performed using a series of 2-[1-(2,6-dibenzhydrylphenylimino)ethyl]-6-[1-(arylimino)ethyl]pyridyliron(II) chlorides with the activity in the range of 10(7) g PE mol(-1) (Fe) h(-1), which is the highest observed in iron procatalysts at elevated reaction temperatures such as 80 °C in the presence of MMAO and 60 °C in the presence of MAO, without any trace of ethylene oligomerization.