Investigation of polymerizability of omega-alkenyldioxolanes with alpha-olefins and alkyl vinyl ethers by modified Ziegler-Natta catalysts

Results are presented of an investigation on the polymerizability of functional olefins, such as allylisopropylidene glycerol (AIPG) and undecenylisopropylidene glycerol (UIPG), in the presence of conventional and modified Ziegler-Natta catalysts based on TiCl4 or MgCl2-supported titanium and triisobutylaluminum, hexaisobutyltetraalumoxane, or bisdiethyl- aluminum sulfate. Homopolymerization experiments were performed on AIGP at temperatures of -78, 25, and 50 degrees C; only those at 50 degrees C provided appreciable amounts of polymeric materials insoluble in methanol, whose structures comprise monomeric units derived from opening both dioxolane rings and vinyl double bonds. In spite of all attempts and precautions, polymerization experiments carried out on mixtures of the functional olefins AIPG and UIPG with either 4-methyl-1-pentene or isopropyl vinyl ether gave rise to the homopolymers of the nonfunctional alpha-olefin and of the vinyl ether, without any appreciable amount of either copolymers or homopolymers of the dioxolane containing monomers. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.