Research on “post‐metallocene” polymerization catalysis ranges methodologically from fundamental mechanistic studies of polymerization reactions over catalyst design to material properties of the polyolefins prepared. A common goal of these studies is the creation of practically useful new polyolefin materials or polymerization processes. This Review gives a comprehensive overview of post‐metallocene polymerization catalysts that have been put into practice. The decisive properties for this success of a given catalyst structure are delineated.

The mechanism and kinetics of the solvolysis of complexes of the type [(L-L)Pd(C(O)CH(3))(S)](+)[CF(3)SO(3)](-) (L-L = diphosphine ligand, S = solvent, CO, or donor atom in the ligand backbone) was studied by NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy with the use of the ligands a-j: SPANphos (a), dtbpf (b), Xantphos (c), dippf (d), DPEphos (e), dtbpx (f), dppf (g), dppp (h), calix-6-diphosphite (j). Acetyl palladium complexes containing trans-coordinating ligands that resist cis coordination (SPANphos, dtbpf) showed no methanolysis. Trans complexes that can undergo isomerization to the cis analogue (Xantphos, dippf, DPEphos) showed methanolyis of the acyl group at a moderate rate. The reaction of [trans-(DPEphos)Pd(C(O)CH(3))](+)[CF(3)SO(3)](-) (2e) with methanol shows a large negative entropy of activation. Cis complexes underwent competing decarbonylation and methanolysis with the exception of 2j, [cis-(calix-diphosphite)Pd(C(O)CH(3))(CD(3)OD)](+)[CF(3)SO(3)](-). The calix-6-diphosphite complex showed a large positive entropy of activation. It is concluded that ester elimination from acylpalladium complexes with alcohols requires cis geometry of the acyl group and coordinating alcohol. The reductive elimination of methyl acetate is described as a migratory elimination or a 1,2-shift of the alkoxy group from palladium to the acyl carbon atom. Cis complexes with bulky ligands such as dtbpx undergo an extremely fast methanolysis. An increasing steric bulk of the ligand favors the formation of methyl propanoate relative to the insertion of ethene leading to formation of oligomers or polymers in the catalytic reaction of ethene, carbon monoxide, and methanol.

Remote control: Substituents strongly affect the catalytic properties of complexes 1 in ethylene polymerization, despite their remoteness from the active center. An appropriate substitution pattern provides very active and robust catalysts.

The structures of neutral and ionic 4-cyanophenylpalladium() and methylpalladium() complexes containing bidentate phosphine ligands were investigated in solution and in the solid state. Diphosphine ligands with a xanthene and a ferrocene backbone were used. New bis(dialkylphosphino) substituted Xantphos ligands were synthesised. 1 H NMR and31 P NMR spectroscopy, conductivity measurements, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography were used to elucidate the structures of the complexes. Subtle changes of the phosphine ligands govern the coordination mode of the ligand. A variety of bidentate cis-, and trans-coordination and terdentate P-O-P, P-S-P and P-Fe-P coordination modes of the ligands were observed.

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Ethylene/norbornene and ethylene/1-butene copolymerization with nickel(II) salicylaldiminato complexes [{κ2-N,O-6-C(H)N(2,6-R2C6H3)-2,4-R‘2C6H2O}NiMe(pyridine)] (1a, R = 3,5-Me2C6H3, R‘ = I; 1b, R,R‘ = 3,5-(F3C)2C6H3; 1c, R = 3,5-(F3C)2C6H3, R‘ = I; 2, R = iPr, R‘ = I) were studied in toluene as a reaction medium and in emulsion, the latter affording polymer dispersions. High molecular weight copolymers (M n > 104 g mol-1) are formed. Incorporation of ethylene is much preferred over butene incorporation, X Bu/x Bu ∼0.05 under typical reaction conditions, by comparison incorporation of the strained olefin norbornene is higher, X NB/x NB ∼0.25 (X = comonomer mole fraction in polymer; x = comonomer mole fraction in reaction mixture). Dispersions contained copolymers with up to 6 mol % comonomer (12 wt % for 1-butene; 20 wt % for norbornene). Incorporation of a few mol % of norbornene strongly decreases polymer crystallinity, which enhances the film forming properties of dispersions. Microstructure analysis by 13C NMR shows that butene is incorporated in a 1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4-fashion. Whether 1,2- or 1,3-incorporation is predominant depends on the catalyst (nature of R).

Ethylene polymerisation productivities of tris(pyrazolyl)methane-supported catalysts [Ti(NR){HC(Me2pz)3}Cl2] show a dramatically different dependence on the imido R-group compared to those of their TACN analogues, attributed to differences in fac-N3 donor topology; when treated with AliBu3, the zwitterionic tris(pyrazolyl)methide compound [Ti(N-2-C6H4tBu){C(Me2pz)3}Cl(THF)] also acts as a highly active, single site catalyst (TACN = 1,4,7-trimethyltriazacyclononane).

One-pot reactions of V(NMe2)4 with a range of primary alkyl- and arylamines RNH2 and Me3SiCl afforded the corresponding five-coordinate vanadium(4+) imido compounds V(NR)Cl2(NHMe2)2 [R = 2,6-C6H3(i)Pr2 (1a, previously reported), 2-C6H4(t)Bu (1b), 2-C6H4CF3 (1c), (t)Bu (1d), Ad (Ad = adamantyl, 1e)]. The crystal structures of 1b (two diamorphic forms) and 1c featured N-H...Cl hydrogen-bonded chains. Reaction of 1a-e with the neutral face-capping, N3 donor ligands TACN (TACN = 1,4,7-trimethyltriazacyclononane) or TPM [TPM = tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)methane] gave the corresponding six-coordinate complexes V(NR)(TACN)Cl2 (2a-e) and V(NR)(TPM)Cl2 (3a-e). The X-ray structures of 2b, 2c, 2d, 3b, 3c, and 3e were determined. When activated with methylaluminoxane, certain of the complexes V(NR)(TPM)Cl2 (3) formed moderately active ethylene polymerization catalysts, whereas none of the compounds V(NR)(TACN)Cl2 (2) were active.