Polymerization of butadiene and copolymerization of butadiene with styrene using neodymium amide catalysts

The polymerization of butadiene was performed with catalysts based on the complex Nd{N(SiMe3)2}3 (1). This amide complex in combination with methyaluminoxane or with a boron compound ([HNMe2Ph][B(C6F5)4], [CPh3][B(C6F5)4] or B(C6F5)3) and Al(iBu)3 showed high activity and stereospecificity in polymerization of butadiene. The cationic complex [Nd{N(SiMe3)2}2(THF)2][B(C6F5)4] (2) was prepared by reaction of 1 and [HNMe2Ph][B(C6F5)4]. The catalyst 2/Al(iBu)3 (ratio Al/Nd: 10/1) was highly active for butadiene polymerization. Copolymerization of butadiene and styrene was performed with the catalytic system Nd{N(SiMe3)2}3/[HNMe2Ph][B(C6F5)4]/Al(iBu)3 (3).