Synthesis of Dendrimer-like Ethylene and Methyl Methacrylate Copolymer in Weakly Coordinating Medium Using LTM Catalyst

In this study, to opt the proper medium, copolymerization of ethylene and methyl methacrylate was carried out using N,N-bis(2,6-diisopropylaniline)acenaphthene nickel(II)dibromide/MAO catalyst in the presence of five solvents including: dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, chloroform, tetrachloromethane and toluene. Based on the catalyst activity and results of FT-IR spectroscopy, CCl4 was the most effective medium among all solvents. Having used the fore-mentioned intermediator and CCl4 as medium, EMMA with dendrimer-like structure was synthesized. Then, DSC thermograms, water contact angle analysis and H-NMR spectra of synthesized copolymer were investigated. Solvent fractionation was applied to determine the presence of probable homopolymers in obtained copolymer.