A bimetallic siloxane cage model catalyst. Synthesis, characterization and polymerization behaviour of [(c-C6H11)7(Si7O12)MgTiCl3]n(n= 1,2)

Abstract

Butylethylmagnesium reacts with polyhedral (c-C₆H₁₁)₇(Si₇O₉)(OH)₃ to give [(c-C₆H₁₁)₇(Si₇O₉)(OH)O₂Mg]_n(n= 1,2), which upon reaction with TiCl₄ gives [(c-C₆H₁₁)₇(Si₇O₁₂)MgTiCl₃]_n(n= 1,2) as a monomer/dimer mixture; this new bimetallic siloxane cage model catalyst, in the presence of triethylaluminium, shows a high catalytic activity for ethene polymerization.