The polymerisation of ethylene with high activity magnesium reduced titanium trichloride catalysts in the absence of hydrogen

The polymerisation of ethylene using magnesium reduced titanium trichloride catalysts, together with the usual aluminium alkyl activators is described. The previously reported high activity of this type of catalyst was confirmed. At 50°C and 1 atm. (1,01325 bar) pressure a value of 3,4.106 g dm3 (mol TiCl3)−1h−1 was obtained for the activity constant, a value about 102 times larger than for a conventional aluminium reduced TiCl3. On the other hand the viscosity‐molecular weight‐time (or conversion) relations are not very different from those given by conventional catalysts. Analysis of the results suggests that a high proportion (e.g. 50%) of the titanium atoms in the magnesium reduced TiCl3 functions as active sites.