Ethylene polymerization and copolymerization reactions with Ti( O R ) 4 – Al 2 ( C 2 H 5 ) 3 Cl 3 /Mg( C 4 H 9 ) 2 catalyst

The ternary Ti(O iso ‐C 3 H 7 ) 4 –Al 2 (C 2 H 5 ) 3 Cl 3 /Mg(C 4 H 9 ) 2 catalyst polymerizes ethylene and copolymerizes it with 1‐hexene but does not polymerize propylene. The catalyst contains several types of active centers with different kinetic parameters; they produce polymer components with different average molecular weights. The centers have similar reactivities in ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization reactions and produce copolymers with a relatively uniform compositional distribution. The catalyst can be used for synthesis of ethylene/1‐alkene copolymers of the linear low‐density polyethylene type. The principal advantages of the catalyst are high activity, stable kinetic behavior, low cost of all components and the ease of use: the catalyst is prepared in situ from three commercially available compounds readily soluble in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry