2001 Alcan Award LectureFrom academic research to industrial applications and back again

Abstract

This paper reviews our recent research efforts that have taken us from fundamental studies of the reactivity of Ti and Zr complexes to the development of new olefin polymerization catalysts of significant industrial potential. In furthering our understanding of these systems we have probed the unique chemical pathways by which early metal phosphinimide catalysts undergo activation and deactivation.Résumé : Ce travail présente une revue de nos récents efforts de recherches qui nous ont permis de passer d'études fondamentales sur la réactivité des complexes du Ti et du Zr au développement de nouveaux catalyseurs pour la polymérisation des oléfines qui présentent un potentiel industriel important. En augmentant notre compréhension de ces systèmes, nous avons été amenés à examiner les voies réactionnelles chimiques uniques par lesquelles les catalyseurs métalliques du phosphinimide originaux subissent des activations et des désactivations.

Altering molecular weight distributions: Benzyl–phosphinimide titanium complexes as ethylene polymerization catalysts

“…It is also noteworthy that in all pairs of analogs, incorporation of the more sterically demanding substituents (Cp* in place of Cp or tBu in place of Cy) afforded higher catalyst activity. This observation is consistent with the previously suggested notion that steric protection of the phosphinimide N atom enhances activity (4,(38)(39)(40).…”

The Road to Early-Transition-Metal Phosphinimide Olefin Polymerization Catalysts

“…In this review, we describe our successful efforts to develop a new ligand scaffold for olefin polymerization catalysts based on phosphinimide ligands. Previous reviews have described portions of this work. , …”

Titanium ferrocenyl-phosphinimide complexes

“…Indeed, these systems have proved to be highly active olefin polymerization catalysts under commercial conditions. 26- 28 Our progress over the issuing years target an understanding of the structure-activity relationship, [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] and the mechanisms of deactivation 44-49 of phosphinimide-catalyst systems has been recently reviewed.…”