Group 4 catalysts for ethene polymerization containing tetradentate salicylaldiminato ligands.

The structural properties of three new classes of titanium and zirconium complex bearing tetradentate salicylaldiminato proligands are elucidated using X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy. On activation with MAO co-catalyst, their behaviour in ethene polymerization depends strongly on the nature of the structure and the substitution pattern. One titanium complex based on a 2-aminobenzylamine (C3-chain) backbone has a trans arrangement of the co-ligand sites and, unsurprisingly, does not polymerize ethene.