For the first time, new catalysts for olefin polymerization have been discovered through the application of fully integrated high-throughput primary and secondary screening techniques supported by rapid polymer characterization methods. Microscale 1-octene primary screening polymerization experiments combining arrays of ligands with reactive metal complexes M(CH(2)Ph)(4) (M = Zr, Hf) and multiple activation conditions represent a new high-throughput technique for discovering novel group (IV) polymerization catalysts. The primary screening methods described here have been validated using a commercially relevant polyolefin catalyst, and implemented rapidly to discover the new amide-ether based hafnium catalyst [eta(2)-(N,O)[bond](2-MeO[bond]C(6)H(4))(2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2))N]Hf(CH(2)Ph)(3) (1), which is capable of polymerizing 1-octene to high conversion. The molecular structure of 1 has been determined by X-ray diffraction. Larger scale secondary screening experiments performed on a focused 96-member amine-ether library demonstrated the versatile high temperature ethylene-1-octene copolymerization capabilities of this catalyst class, and led to significant performance improvements over the initial primary screening discovery. Conventional one gallon batch reactor copolymerizations performed using selected amide-ether hafnium compounds confirmed the performance features of this new catalyst class, serving to fully validate the experimental results from the high-throughput approaches described herein.

Tandem catalysis in a single medium presents challenges and opportunities for creating novel synthetic protocols. Thus far, only two homogeneous catalysts have been used in tandem. Herein, we report that it is possible to coordinate the action of three well-defined homogeneous catalysts to produce a wide range of branched polyethylenes from a single monomer. Thus, ([(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4))SiMe(2)(eta(1)-NCMe(3))]TiMe)(MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)) (1), [(C(6)H(5))(2)PC(6)H(4)C(OB(C(6)F(5))(3))O-kappa(2)P,O]Ni(eta(3)-CH(2)C(6)H(5)) (2), and ((H(3)C)C[N(C(6)H(5))]C[O-B(C(6)F(5))(3)][N(C(6)H(5))]-kappa(2)N,N)Ni(eta(3)-CH(2)C(6)H(5)) (3) react with ethylene to produce branched polyethylene with structures that cannot be obtained using a single- or a two-component catalyst combination. The properties of the polyethylene depend on the ratio of the three catalysts. High-throughput screening techniques proved essential for optimizing reaction conditions and for probing how the catalyst composition influences the polymer properties.

The discovery of new olefin polymerization catalysts is currently a time-intensive trial-and-error process with no guarantee of success. A fully integrated high-throughput screening workflow for the discovery of new catalysts for polyolefin production has been implemented at Symyx Technologies. The workflow includes the design of the metal-ligand libraries using custom-made computer software, automated delivery of metal precursors and ligands into the reactors using a liquid-handling robot, and a rapid primary screen that serves to assess the potential of each metalligand-activator combination as an olefin polymerization catalyst. "Hits" from the primary screen are subjected to secondary screens using a 48-cell parallel polymerization reactor. Individual polymerization reactions are monitored in real time under conditions that provide meaningful information about the performance capabilities of each catalyst. Rapid polymer characterization techniques support the primary and secondary screens. We have discovered many new and interesting catalyst classes using this technology.

Ein Lehrbuchbeispiel für die Entdeckung, Optimierung und kommerzielle Nutzung eines Katalysators bietet die Entdeckung einer Klasse Hf‐basierter Nichtmetallocen‐Olefinpolymerisationskatalysatoren (siehe Bild; Hf orangefarbene Kugel, N blau, C(Me) grün), ihr aufwändiges Hochdurchsatz‐Screening und ihr industrieller Einsatz in einem Hochtemperaturlösungsprozess zur Herstellung von Materialien auf der Grundlage von hoch isotaktischem Polypropylen.

Active polymerization catalysts, novel resin-bound diimine complexes of nickel(II) and palladium(II) are obtained by combinatorial synthesis and combined in a catalyst library. By tagging with fluorescent markers, the catalysts can be coded. Therefore, after cleavage of the tag from the polymer-coated resin, HPLC can be used to determine the pathway along which the products were formed.