Preparation of EMA copolymer with nickel catalysts
This paper reviews the latest research progress on preparation of ethylene-methyl acrylate(EMA)by nickel catalyst via coordination copolymerization of ethylene and methyl acrylate(MA).The development process of early transition metals of Ziegler-Natta catalysts,metallocene catalysts,and late transition metal nickel and palladium catalysts is described.The nickel catalysts are classified by the types of ligands,including bidentate nickel catalysts of[N,N]type,[N,O]type,[P,O]type,[N,P]type and tridentate nickel catalysts of[N,N,O]type.Significant progress has been made in catalyzing copolymerization of ethylene and MA with late transition metal nickel catalysts due to their excellent polar monomer tolerance.The industrialization of EMA by copolymerizing ethylene and MA through the development of new nickel catalyst will be closer.