Vinylic polymerization of norbornene by neutral nickel(II)-based catalysts

Neutral Ni(II) salicylaldiminato complexes activated with modified methylaluminoxane as catalysts were used for the vinylic polymerization of norbornene. Catalyst activities of up to 7.08 × 10⁴ kg_pol/(mol_Ni · h) and viscosity-average molecular weights of polymer up to 1.5 × 10⁶ g/mol were observed at optimum conditions. Polynorbornenes are amorphous, soluble in organic solvents, highly stable, and show glass-transition temperatures around 390°C. Catalyst activity, polymer yield, and polymer molecular weight can be controlled over a wide range by the variation of the reaction parameters such as the Al/Ni ratio, monomer/catalyst ratio, monomer concentration, polymerization reaction temperature, and time.