Polymerization of isoprene with a neodymium chloride-based homogeneous catalysts

A method for preparing an active homogeneous catalyst of isoprene polymerization on the basis of alcoholic solvates of neodymium chloride was developed. For polymerization initiated by the catalysts with varying disperse (homogeneous, quasi-homogeneous, heterogeneous), the number of active centers was determined. The relative rate constants for chain transfer to monomer were estimated using the kinetic method. It was found that the homogeneous catalyst a shows higher stereoselectivity when compared to its quasi-homogeneous analog and more effectively controls the molecular mass distribution of the resulting polymer