Effect of Different Aluminum Alkyls on the Metallocene/Methylaluminoxane Catalyzed Polymerization of Higher α-Olefins and Styrene

The replacement of MAO by different aluminum alkyls in the polymerization of higher α‐olefins catalyzed by rac‐EtInd2ZrCl2 and rac‐(CH3)2CInd2ZrCl2 and in the syndiospecific polymerization of styrene with CpTiCl3 as a catalyst was studied. An activating effect for all catalysts investigated was found when adding TIBA, while TEA and THA have a deactivating effect. It was found that more than half of the expensive methylaluminoxane can be successfully replaced by TIBA without deleterious effects on the catalyst activity and the properties of the polymers synthesized during higher α‐olefin polymerization catalyzed by rac‐EtInd2ZrCl2 and rac‐(CH3)2CInd2ZrCl2.