Event

Maurice Brookhart       
University of Houston

Development of Late Transition Metal Catalysts for Olefin Polymerizations

This lecture will trace the development of late transition metal catalysts for the polymerization of olefins with particular emphasis on polymerization ethylene and copolymerizations of ethylene with polar vinyl monomers using Ni- and Pd-based diimine catalysts. Mechanistic features of these catalysts for homo- and co-polymerizations will be highlighted and correlated with the microstructures of the resultant polymers. A unique chain transfer reaction involving beta-silyl elimination will be disclosed which can be used to prepare a wide variety of heterotelechelic polyolefins.