Abstract
Highly active, new bis(2,6-di- tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenoxy)aluminum methylphosphonate sterically hindered aluminum catalyst was developed for both, homo- and copolymerization of propylene oxide with carbon dioxide. The behaviour of this catalyst compared with that of bis(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)aluminum alcoxide-based catalyst was investigated. The former shows much higher catalytic activity in chemical fixation of carbon dioxide than the latter. According to the experimental data, the unavoidable propylene carbonate resulting in an appreciable proportion in propylene oxide - carbon dioxide copolymerization reaction initiated by sterically hindered aluminum catalysts, seems to appear not at the back-biting reaction of the growing chain. Apparently the reaction temperature or the reaction components molar ratio did not influence the propylene carbonate proportion. Keywords: propylene oxide, carbon dioxide, aluminium catalysts