A thermal stable α-diimine palladium catalyst for copolymerization of ethylene with functionalized olefins

•An unsymmetrical (α-diimine)PdCH3Cl with bulkier α-diimine ligand was provided.•They were active in ethylene homopolymerization at 80 °C.•At 50 °C they produced ethylene/MA copolymer with moderate MA incorporation.•The reason for the high thermal stability of these complexes was proposed.

Copolymerization of polar monomers and olefins catalyzed by transition metal under mild conditions is a challenge. α-Diimine palladium complexes have great potential to catalyze the copolymerization of alkylacrylates and olefins. But they are prone to deactivation under mild conditions which limits their industrial application. A novel unsymmetrical α-diimine palladium complex with bulkier α-diimine ligand was provided in this paper. They were active in ethylene homopolymerization at 80 °C. At 50 °C they could produce ethylene/methylacrylate copolymer with moderate methylacrylate incorporation. The probable reason for the high thermal stability of these complexes was proposed.

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