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5714323 
Journal Article 
Polymerization of butadiene using neodymium versatate-based catalyst systems: preformed catalysts with SiCl4 as halide source 
Quirk, RP; Kells, AM 
2000 
1 
Polymer International
ISSN: 0959-8103 
49 
7 
751-756 
English 
WOS:000088071900018 
The ternary neodymium versatate (NdV3)‐based catalyst system, NdV3/SiCl4/Al(iso‐Bu)2H, for the stereospecific polymerization of 1,3‐butadiene (Bd) has been studied at a catalyst concentration of 0.11 mmol Nd per 100 g Bd. The effects of the concentration of SiCl4 following in situ activation, preformed at 20 °C in the presence and absence of isoprene and the substitution of Al(iso‐Bu)2H with AlEt3 as alkylating agent, were established and compared to the performance of NdV3‐based catalyst systems incorporating ethylaluminium sesquichloride (EASC), diethylaluminium chloride (DEAC) and t‐butyl chloride (t‐BuCl) as chloride sources. Comparable catalytic activity between the control catalysts based on EASC, DEAC and t‐BuCl and the studied NdV3/SiCl4/Al(iso‐Bu)2H system was achieved once the optimum concentration ratios of NdV3/SiCl4/Al(iso‐Bu)2H = 1:1:25 were applied in conjunction with preforming the catalyst components in the presence of isoprene for 72 h at 20 °C. Polybutadiene cis‐1,4 contents were consistently high (about 97 %) for all polymerizations. 
neodymium versatate; silicon tetrachloride; butadiene; high cis-1,4-polybutadiene