Styrene polymerization using nickel(II) complexes as catalysts

International audience; Styrene polymerization is investigated with neutral and cationic Ni(II) complexes, i.e. Ni(bipy)Me-2, 1, Ni(bipy)Br-2, 2, Ni(phen)Br-2, 3, or Ni(Me(2)phen)Br-2, 4, Ni(acac)(2), 5, (bipy = 2,2 '-bipyridine, phen = phenanthroline, Me,phen = 2,9-dimethyl-1, 10-phenanthroline, acac acetylacetonate), activated by [NHMe2Ph][B(C6F5)(4)] or B(C6F5)(3) as cocatalysts, in the presence of AlMe3. The influence on the polystyrene features and the reaction kinetics of the nickel complex and boron activator, the Al/Ni or B/Ni molar ratios as well as the monomer concentration are studied. Catalytic systems derived from 2, 3 or 5 and [NHMe2Ph][B(C6F5)(4)] at a Ni:B:Al ratio of 1: 1:5…