A process for the preparation of a block copolymer comprising a first polyolefin block and a second polymer block as well as the products obtained therefrom

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cascade process for the preparation of a block copolymer comprising a first type of polyolefin block and at least one type of second polymer block. The process according to the present invention involves the following consecutive steps: A) polymerizing at least one type of olefin monomer using a catalyst system to obtain a first polyolefin block containing a main group metal on at least one chain end; the catalyst system comprising: i) a metal catalyst or metal catalyst precursor comprising a metal from Group 3-10 of the IUPAC Periodic Table of elements; and ii) at least one type of chain transfer agent; and iii) optionally a co-catalyst; B) reacting the first polyolefin block containing a main group metal on at least one chain end obtained in step A) with at least one type of oxidizing agent to obtain a first polyolefin block containing at least one main group metal-functionalized oxidized chain end; and C) forming at least one second polymer block on the first polyolefin block, wherein as a catalytic initiator the main group metal-functionalized oxidized chain end of the first polyolefin block obtained in step B) is used.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.