Synthesis of "meso"-and "racemic"-like diastereomers of Me2Si(3-MeInd)(Ind)ZrCl2 (5 and 6, respectively) was achieved through either metathetical reactions between the dianion of Me2(3-MeIndH)-(IndH) (4) with ZrCl4 or via amine elimination reactions, followed by fractional crystallization. Propylene polymerizations using meso-5 in the presence of methyl aluminoxane under a variety of conditions leads to the formation of low molecular weight, semicrystalline, low tacticity, poly(propylene) (PP). The dominant chain transfer mechanism in this case is shown to involve -H transfer to monomer. In contrast, rac-6 provides higher molecular weight, semicrystalline, elastomeric poly(propylene) (elPP) under a variety of conditions; chain transfer in this case involves, predominantly, -H transfer to Zr. The properties of elPP produced using catalyst 6 show a gradual change from a lightly, cross-linked elastomer to a poorly crystalline thermoplastic, depending on both polymer molecular weight and crystallinity as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry and tensile testing. In particular, more crystalline material exhibits a higher initial modulus, yielding behavior and lower strain to break than less crystalline material of equivalent molecular weight. These findings further define polymer properties for the synthesis of flexible elastomers using this class of catalysts.

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Low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) and also linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins can be characterized by the degree of strain hardening and down‐gaging during elongation. A new method for the determination of the apparent elongational flow characteristics is presented. In a small scale apparatus, a molten monofilament is stretched under nonisothermal conditions similar to those found in tubular film extrusion. Measurement of resistance to elongational flow and apparent elongational strain rates permit the comparison of the process‐ability of different resins under specified conditions. The effect of melt temperature and extension ratio are examined. The importance of the molecular structure of both LDPE and LLDPE resins on these properties is also outlined.

With two‐dimensional time‐domain NMR analysis in the proton spin rotating frame, three phases are identifiable in the solid polyethylene. The major proton magnetization fraction is due to the polymer's crystalline region, where the motion is least isotropic and slowest. A magnetization fraction with intermediate relaxation rate is also intermediate in magnitude. This component is proposed to comprise chain loops on the surfaces of crystallites and effectively entangled chain segments. The most mobile fraction, which is most liquid‐like with a T2 of near 1 ms at 120°C, is also the smallest. It is proposed that it is due to polymer chains in the amorphous phase. In the crystalline phase the chain motion is an unexpectedly effective relaxation mechanism at ∼50 KHz. This process, which involves propagation of a twisted region along the crystallite, as has been suggested before, is either not present in the other two phases of the HDPE or is less efficient because of the lower polymer density. The activation energies for the crystalline, intermediate and amorphous phases are estimated to be 34 ± 3, 13 ± 3, and 8 ± 2 Kcal/mol, respectively. The frequencies of the relaxation process at 120°C are 43 KHz, 350 KHz, and 1.5 MHz, respectively. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2551–2558, 1997