Dinuclear bis-propagators for the stereoselective living coordinative chain transfer polymerization of propene.

Modulation of steric interactions remote from the active sites within a series of dinuclear bis-propagators derived from racemic 2-4 was used to attenuate the rate of reversible chain transfer between active transition-metal centers and excess equivalents of inactive main-group-metal alkyl species relative to chain growth propagation, as a strategy for achieving the stereoselective living coordinative chain transfer polymerization of propene to provide isotactic stereoblock polypropene. Under identical conditions, the corresponding mononuclear propagator derived from racemic 1 produced only atactic polypropene.