Organo transition metal initiated living polymerizations

This review article describes the recent advances of organo transition metal initiated polymerizations and copolymerizations of polar and nonpolar monomers. The article deals with Group 3-6 and Group 8-10 metal initiated polymerizations, in addition to some main group metal initiated polymerizations of ethylene. Group 3 rare earth metal complexes are by themselves very active in the absence of cocatalysts such as methylalumoxane or phenyl berates for both polar monomers such as alkyl (meth)acrylates, lactones, and cyclic carbonates, and also nonpolar monomers such as ethylene, l-alkenes and 1,5-hexadiene. Group 4-5 complexes exhibit high catalytic activities toward the polymerizations of olefins only in the presence of methylalumoxane or phenyl berates. Group 5-6 metal carbene complexes are useful especially for polymerization of cyclic olefins and cyclic acetylenes. New catalyst systems composed of Group 8-10 metal imides and methylalumoxane or phenyl berates, show high catalytic activities for the polymerization of ethylene and olefins. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.