The nature of the organoaluminum compound and the kinetic heterogeneity of active sites in lanthanide‐based diene polymerization

Abstract

AbstractThe influence of the organoaluminum compound on the kinetic heterogeneity of active sites in lanthanide‐based diene polymerization was investigated. It was found that the heterogeneity of investigated catalytic systems was shown in the existence of four types of active centers. They were formed at the beginning of the polymerization process and produced macromolecules with lengths that were definite for each type of active center. The nature of the organoaluminum compound greatly influenced the kinetic activity of the polymerization centers. A method for analyzing the curves' maximums of distribution on kinetic activity and the change in kinetic activity of every type of active centers is proposed. This method allows calculating the concentration values for each type of active center separately. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 674–685, 2003