Synergistic Effect and Fluorination Effect in Ethylene Polymerization by Nickel Phenoxyiminato Catalysts

A series of binuclear nickel phenoxyiminato catalysts with different linkers and fluorine substituents were efficiently synthesized. Binuclear nickel catalysts with rigid linkers showed higher catalytic activity and thermal stability in ethylene polymerization and produced polymers with higher molecular weight possibly due to the larger steric hindrance and metal-metal synergistic effect. The introduction of fluorine atoms on the N-terphenyl moity also enhanced polymerization activity and molecular weight of polymer due to the electronic effect of fluorine atoms.