MgCl₂·4((CH₃)₂CHCH₂OH): a new molecular adduct for the preparation of TiCl_x/MgCl₂ catalyst for olefin polymerization

Abstract

A new molecular adduct of MgCl₂ with isobutanol, namely MgCl₂·4((CH₃)₂CHCH₂OH) (MgiBOH), has been prepared as a precursor to the supporting material for an olefin polymerization catalyst. The MgiBOH adduct and final titanated Ziegler–Natta catalysts have been thoroughly characterized by powder XRD, thermal analysis, Raman spectroscopy and solid-state NMR for structural and spectroscopy aspects. A peak observed at 712 cm⁻¹ in the Raman spectra of MgiBOH indicates the characteristic Mg–O₆ breathing mode and the formation of the adduct. The diffraction feature at 2θ = 7.8° (d = 11.223 Å) in the XRD confirms the adduct formation and the layered structure. The aim of the present article is to study how the insertion of a bulky isobutanol moiety affects the structural and electronic properties of the MgCl₂·isobutanol molecular adduct. Indeed, the focus of the present study is to explore how the presence of isobutanol, in the initial molecular adduct, influences the final Z–N catalyst properties and its activity.