Living polymerization of 1-hexene due to an extra donor arm on a novel amine bis(phenolate) titanium catalyst

Two amine bis(phenolate) titanium dibenzyl complexes were synthesized in one-pot reactions starting from the ligand precursors and titanium tetra(isopropoxide). The catalyst derived from a ligand having an extra donor on a side arm leads to living polymerization of 1-hexene at room temperature, whereas the one derived from a ligand lacking it, leads to low molecular weight poly(1-hexene) with PDI values of around 2.0.