The kinetic evidence for the formation of multiple active species in a bis(phenoxy-imine) zirconium dichloride/MAO catalyst during ethylene polymerization

The effects of polymerization time and temperature on the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of polyethylene, produced over homogeneous catalyst bis[N-(3-tert-butyl salicylidene)anilinato]zirconium(IV) dichloride tBu-L2ZrCl2/MAO have been studied. The data on the number of active centers (CP) and propagation rate constants (kP) at different polymerization time have been obtained as well. It was found that at a short polymerization time two types of active centers, producing low molecular weight PE (Mw = (4–10) × 103 g mol−1) are formed. The number of these centers was estimated to be 11% of total zirconium complex and their reactivity is very high (the kP value was found to be 54 × 103 L mol−1 s−1 at 35 °C). High initial activity of the catalyst fell with the increase in polymerization time, whereas the polydispersity values of the resulting PE increase due to formation of new centers, producing high molecular weight PE (Mw = (30–1300) × 103 g mol−1). It was found that the decrease in activity is caused by reducing the initial active centers number and lower reactivity of the new-formed centers (kP = 17 × 103 L mol−1 s−1).