Polyolefin Oligomers As Additives, Catalysts, and Solvents

摘要

Polyethylene oligomers containing functional groups are readi- ly available commercially or and be prepared by appropriate ter- mination chemistry after a polymerization process. Such oligo- mers can be used in several ways. First, they can serve as sol- vents. Second, if the oligomers contain functionality by virtue of the polymerization process, these oligomers can be modified to prepare ligands for catalysts. Such catalysts are soluble in hydro- carbon solvents under appropriate conditions and are highly phase selectively soluble in biphasic mixtures of hydrocarbon solvents and typical polar organic solvents. If the catalysts themselves dissolve on heating or if the a mixture that is biphasic at room temperature becomes monophasic on heating, these catalysts can be used as homogeneous catalysts. Cooling such monophasic thermomorphic mixtures leads to phase separation and a method for catalyst/product separation. In suitable cases, this separation is quantitative and if the catalysts are stable, they can be reused and recycled. If these ligands or the catalysts are colored, they can be mixed with high molecular weight polyethylene or poly- propylene to form highly colored solids.