Novel polymerization and copolymerization of ethylene, styrene, and/or butadiene by new organolanthanide-based catalysts

Replacement of one of the two C Me ligands in the samarocene (II) complex (C Me ) Sm (THF) with a monodentate anionic ligand (e. g. , OAr, SAr, or NR ) gives a unique catalytic system, which can not only polymerize styrene and ethylene, but also copolymerize them into block styrene-ethylene copolymers under the presence of both monomers. On the other hand, addition of an appropriate cocatalyst such as MMAO or AlR /[Ph C][B (C ) ] to the samarocene complex (C Me ) Sm (THF) or (C Me ) Sm (m-Me) AlMe affords a novel catalytic system for stereospecific 1,4-cis living polymerization of butadiene and copolymerization of butadiene with styrene.