Unraveling the Reactivity of SiO 2 -Supported Nickel Catalyst in Ethylene Copolymerization with Polar Monomers: A Theoretical Study.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Unraveling the Reactivity of SiO 2 -Supported Nickel Catalyst in Ethylene Copolymerization with Polar Monomers: A Theoretical Study.
Authors: Ortega, Daniela E.1 (AUTHOR) daniela.ortega@ubo.cl, Cortés-Arriagada, Diego2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Polymers (20734360). May2025, Vol. 17 Issue 9, p1268. 20p.
Subjects: Nickel catalysts, Catalyst selectivity, Heterogeneous catalysts, Vinyl polymers, Catalyst supports
Abstract: Understanding the catalytic behavior of heterogeneous systems for the copolymerization of ethylene with polar monomers is essential for developing advanced functional polyolefins. In this study, we conducted a quantum chemical investigation of the SiO2-supported Ni–allyl–α-imine ketone catalyst (Ni-OH@SiO2) to uncover the factors governing monomer insertion, selectivity, and reactivity. Using DFT calculations and energy decomposition analysis (ALMO-EDA), we evaluated the coordination and insertion of six industrially relevant polar monomers, comparing their behavior to ethylene homopolymerization. Our results show that special polar monomers (SPMs) with aliphatic spacers, such as vinyltrimethoxysilane (vTMS) and 5-hexenyl acetate (AMA), exhibit favorable insertion profiles due to enhanced electrostatic and orbital interactions with minimal steric hindrance. In contrast, fundamental polar monomers (FPMs), including methyl acrylate (MA) and vinyl chloride (vCl), show higher activation barriers and increased Pauli repulsion due to strong electron-withdrawing effects and conjugation with the vinyl group. AMA displayed the lowest activation barrier (7.4 kcal/mol) and highest insertion thermodynamic stability (−17.6 kcal/mol). These findings provide molecular-level insight into insertion mechanisms and comonomer selectivity in Ni–allyl catalysts supported on silica, extending experimental understanding. This work establishes key structure–reactivity relationships and offers design principles for developing efficient Ni-based heterogeneous catalysts for polar monomer copolymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Polymers (20734360) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 185127540
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Unraveling the Reactivity of SiO 2 -Supported Nickel Catalyst in Ethylene Copolymerization with Polar Monomers: A Theoretical Study.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ortega%2C+Daniela+E%2E%22">Ortega, Daniela E.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> daniela.ortega@ubo.cl</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cortés-Arriagada%2C+Diego%22">Cortés-Arriagada, Diego</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Polymers+%2820734360%29%22">Polymers (20734360)</searchLink>. May2025, Vol. 17 Issue 9, p1268. 20p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nickel+catalysts%22">Nickel catalysts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Catalyst+selectivity%22">Catalyst selectivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heterogeneous+catalysts%22">Heterogeneous catalysts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vinyl+polymers%22">Vinyl polymers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Catalyst+supports%22">Catalyst supports</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Understanding the catalytic behavior of heterogeneous systems for the copolymerization of ethylene with polar monomers is essential for developing advanced functional polyolefins. In this study, we conducted a quantum chemical investigation of the SiO2-supported Ni–allyl–α-imine ketone catalyst (Ni-OH@SiO2) to uncover the factors governing monomer insertion, selectivity, and reactivity. Using DFT calculations and energy decomposition analysis (ALMO-EDA), we evaluated the coordination and insertion of six industrially relevant polar monomers, comparing their behavior to ethylene homopolymerization. Our results show that special polar monomers (SPMs) with aliphatic spacers, such as vinyltrimethoxysilane (vTMS) and 5-hexenyl acetate (AMA), exhibit favorable insertion profiles due to enhanced electrostatic and orbital interactions with minimal steric hindrance. In contrast, fundamental polar monomers (FPMs), including methyl acrylate (MA) and vinyl chloride (vCl), show higher activation barriers and increased Pauli repulsion due to strong electron-withdrawing effects and conjugation with the vinyl group. AMA displayed the lowest activation barrier (7.4 kcal/mol) and highest insertion thermodynamic stability (−17.6 kcal/mol). These findings provide molecular-level insight into insertion mechanisms and comonomer selectivity in Ni–allyl catalysts supported on silica, extending experimental understanding. This work establishes key structure–reactivity relationships and offers design principles for developing efficient Ni-based heterogeneous catalysts for polar monomer copolymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Polymers (20734360) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=185127540
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3390/polym17091268
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 1268
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Nickel catalysts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Catalyst selectivity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heterogeneous catalysts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vinyl polymers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Catalyst supports
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Unraveling the Reactivity of SiO 2 -Supported Nickel Catalyst in Ethylene Copolymerization with Polar Monomers: A Theoretical Study.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ortega, Daniela E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cortés-Arriagada, Diego
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 20734360
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 17
            – Type: issue
              Value: 9
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Polymers (20734360)
              Type: main
ResultId 1