Polymerization of hydroxyl functional polypropylene by metallocene catalysis

Propylene was copolymerized with 10-undecen-1-ol with use of dimethylsilanyl-bis-(2-methyl-4-phenyl-1-indenyl)zirconium dichloride as catalyst activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO) and triisobutylaluminum (TIBA). Comonomer incorporations as high as 2.0 mol% or 8.2 wt% were obtained without serious activity losses. Concentration of MAO, aluminum/comonomer ratio and pressure had some effect on polymerization activity and yield. However, changing the proportion of MAO in the cocatalyst mixture of MAO and TIBA proved to be most efficient way to enhance polymerization activity. Still, the result was a compromise between high functionality content, polymerization activity and molecular weight.