Organolanthanide-catalyzed synthesis of amine-capped polyethylenes

The chain transfer agent dicyclohexylamine is introduced into organolanthanide-mediated ethylene polymerizations to produce amine-terminated polyethylenes. The resulting polymers were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, GPC, and DSC. Good polymerization activities (up to 104 g polymer/(mol Ln·atm ethylene·h)) and narrow polydispersities are observed in the polymerization/chain transfer process. Dicyclohexylamine-capped polyethylene product molecular weights are found to be inversely proportional to dicyclohexylamine concentration, supporting an amine chain transfer mechanism. The present study represents the first efficient catalytic method for introducing electron-rich amine groups into otherwise inert polyolefins.