GB1068620A - Olefin copolymers - Google Patents

Abstract

High molecular weight substantially linear, amorphous unsaturated copolymers containing units of one or more cycloalkenyl derivatives of norbornene, or of bicyclo [2,2,2] octene-2, ethylene, and/or an aliphatic alpha-olefin are made by effecting the copolymerization of the monomers in the presence of a halogen-containing catalyst of a vanadium compound and an organometallic compound of aluminium or beryllium. Specified cycloalkenyl derivatives are 2-cyclohexene - 31 - yl - norbornene - 5, 2 - cyclohexen - 31 - yl - bicyclo [2,2,2] octene - 5, 2-(31 - cyclohexen - 111 - yl) - butyl - norbornene-5, - (21 - cyclohexen - 111 - yl) - ethyl - norbornene - 5, 2 - (21 - cyclopenten - 211 - yl)- ethyl - norbornene - 5, 2 - (31 - cyclopenten - 111-yl) - propyl - norbornene - 5, and 2 - (21-cyclopenten - 211 - yl) ethylbicyclo [2,2,2] octene-5. The alpha-olefin may be propylene or butene-1. The Specification contains an extensive list of catalyst components. Exemplified catalysts are VCl4 and (C2H5)3Al, VCl4 and (C2H5)2AlCl, VOCl3 and (C2H5)2AlCl2, VCl4 and aluminium ethyl sesquichloride, and VCl4 and Be(C2H5)2. The catalyst is preferably forme between 0 DEG and -80 DEG C., and the copolymerization effected in a similar temperature range. The copolymers may be vulcanized by conventional techniques, or the double bonds in the copolymers oxidized with ozone to carboxylic groups, or reacted with metal hydrides.