Binary copolymerization of 4-methyl-1,3-pentadiene with styrene, butadiene and isoprene catalysed by a titanium [OSSO]-type catalyst

Binary copolymerization of 4-methyl-1,3-pentadiene (4MPD) with styrene, butadiene and isoprene promoted by the titanium complex dichloro(1,4-dithiabutanediyl-2,2′-bis[4,6-bis(2-phenyl-2-propyl)phenoxy])titanium activated by methylaluminoxane is reported. All the copolymers are obtained in a wide range of composition and the molecular weight distributions obtained from gel permeation chromatographic analysis of the copolymers are coherent with the materials being copolymeric in nature. The copolymer microstructure was fully elucidated by means of 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry shows an increase of glass transition temperature (Tg) with the amount of 4MPD in the copolymers with butadiene and isoprene, while in the copolymers with styrene Tg is increased on increasing the amount of styrene.