EXAFS analysis of a chiral alkene polymerisation catalyst incorporated in the mesoporous silicate MCM-41

The chiral metallocene rac-ethylenebis(1-indenyl)zirconium dichloride, when immobilised on the surface of methylalumoxane-modified mesoporous silica MCM-41, is an effective catalyst for the production of highly isotactic polypropene with a unique spherulite morphology; Zr K-edge EXAFS studies of the organometallic-inorganic composite reveal not only an intact indenyl ligand framework after the immobilisation, but also the presence of a short Zr-C bond and the absence of the chloride ligands.