Living copolymerization of ethylene with 4-methyl-1-pentene by an alfa-diimine Ni(II)/Et2AlCl catalyst

Living copolymerization of ethylene (E) with 4-methyl-1-pentene (4M1P) by an a-diimine Ni(II) complex and Et2AlCl as an activator is reported. The living nature of the polymerization was exploited to prepare poly(E-co-4M1P)-block-poly(1-hexene) with low polydispersity index (Mw/Mnz1.20) and qualitatively good elastomeric properties.