Macromolecules, Vol.30, No.20, 6251-6263, 1997
Full Assignment of the C-13 NMR-Spectra of Regioregular Polypropylenes - Methyl and Methylene Region
C-13 NMR spectroscopy is the main source of information on the stereochemistry of Ziegler-Natta and related transition metal catalyzed propene polymerizations. In simple cases, like those of polypropylenes formed under pure enantiomorphic-site or chain-end control, the origin of the stereoselectivity can be easily recognized from the steric pentad distribution obtained from routine C-13 NMR spectra. On the other hand, the variety of innovative polymers that can now be prepared with "high-yield" heterogeneous and metallocene-based homogeneous catalysts under hybrid, multiple, or oscillating stereocontrol represent very complex systems, which are beyond the possibilities of configurational analysis by routine C-13 NMR. In such cases, high-field C-13 NMR can be highly advantageous. Indeed, in this paper we show that from the methyl and methylene regions of 150 MHz C-13 NMR spectra of polypropylenes of various tacticities, the stereosequence distribution can be determined at a much finer level of detail, so as to obtain an adequate experimental basis for the investigation of the many complicated mechanisms of stereocontrol presently encountered in Ziegler-Natta catalysis.
Keywords:NUCLEAR MAGNETIC-RESONANCE;ZIEGLER-NATTA CATALYSTS;SATURATED END GROUPS;PROPENE POLYMERIZATION;METALLOCENE CATALYSTS;ISOTACTIC POLYPROPYLENE;CHEMICAL-SHIFTS;MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION;HEMIISOTACTIC POLYPROPYLENE;METHYLALUMOXANE CATALYSTS