In this communication, we will demonstrate that polymerization in a chiral solvent can affect the molecular weight distribution of the product by perturbing the balance of the P and M helical screw senses of the growing chains. Specifically, for the Wurtz-type synthesis of polymethylphenylsilane (PMPS) in either (R) or (S)-limonene, the weight-average molecular weight of the products (average M...

Models for the likely active catalysts in homogeneous Ziegler-Natta systems have been studied using ab initio quantum chemical methods. We investigated the geometries of the isoelectronic model complexes, X2M-R where X = C1 or Cp = (q5-CsHs); where M = Sc and Ti+ (and also Ti); and where R = H, CH3, or SiH3. The general trend is that the M = Sc compounds strongly prefer a planar configuration, ...

In this paper nine various salalen ligands have been prepared and characterised. The steric and electronic effects of both the salen and salan fragments have been varied in a systematic fashion to ascertain how this affects the selectivity for the ROP of rac-lactide. These were complexed to AlMe3 to generate pseudo trigonal bypyramidal metal centred complexes. Upon addition of benzyl alcohol th...

Elec:troactive thin-film polymers a.re increa.sinp;ly beinp; used as sensors and actuators in aerospace structures [1,2]. They also have sip;nificant potential for applications in musc:le mechanisms and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). In these applications, polymer films of thickness varyinp; between 20 and :100 tLin are utilized. Actuation of these polymers is attributed to piezoelect...

One of the most efficient and versatile ways to synthesize polyolefin nanocomposites is the in-situ polymerization of olefins in the presence of nano particles by metallocene catalysts. Metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts are soluble in hydrocarbons and therefore they can be absorbed perfectly in solution onto the surface of particles or fibers and after addition of ethene or propene ...