Method for producing copolymer of allyl monomer having polar group

1. A method for producing a copolymer of ethylene and an allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1)

CH 2 ═CH—CH 2 —R 1   (1),

wherein R 1 represents a substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an ester group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an acyloxy group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an amino group, a substituted amino group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted amido group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted pyridyl group having 5 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted pyrrolidyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted piperidyl group having 5 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted hydrofuryl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted imidazolyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms, a mercapto group, an alkylthio group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an arylthio group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an epoxy group, and a halogen atom, or a copolymer of ethylene, the allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1) and another monomer, the method comprising polymerizing ethylene and the allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1), or ethylene, the allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1), and another monomer, in the presence of a metal complex, wherein the metal complex is represented by formula (C1)

wherein M represents an element of Group 10 of the Periodic Table, X represents a phosphorus atom (P) or an arsenic atom (As), and Y represents a divalent group selected from a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkylene group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted imino group (—NH—), an oxy group (—O—), and a substituted or unsubstituted silylene group (—SiH 2 —), Q represents an anionic ligand selected from —S(═O) 2 —O—, —C(═O)—O—, —P(═O)(—OH)—O—, —O—, and —S—, or a neutral ligand selected from —P(—R 8 )(—R 9 )═O, and —C(—R 10 )═O, wherein R 8 , R 9 and R 10 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amino group, or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms which may be substituted with one or more groups selected from a halogen atom, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, and an amino group, wherein the bonding mode is Y—S(═O) 2 —O-M, Y—C(═O)—O-M, Y—P(═O)(—OH)—O-M, Y—O-M, Y—S-M, Y—P(—R 8 )(—R 9 )═O-M, or Y—C(—R 10 )═O-M, R 5 represents a substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms substituted with a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms substituted with an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a hydrocarbon group having 7 to 30 carbon atoms substituted with an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a hydrocarbon group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms substituted with an amido group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, and an acyloxy group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, R 6 and R 7 each independently represent an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, a silyl group, an amino group, or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 120 carbon atoms which may be substituted with one or more groups selected from a halogen atom, an alkoxy group, and an aryloxy group, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring structure, L represents an electron-donating ligand and R 5 and L may form a ring, q is 0, ½, 1 or 2, n represents the number of charges of the metal complex represented by formula (C1) and is 0 or 1, Z n− represents a counteranion, and is absent when n is 0, as a catalyst, and by allowing a boron compound having one or more boron-hydrogen bonds (B—H) or boron-carbon bonds (B—C) to coexist during polymerization.

2. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein the boron compound having one or more boron-hydrogen bonds (B—H) or boron-carbon bonds (B—C) is a borane compound, a boroxine compound, a boronic acid compound, a boronic ester compound, a borinic acid compound, or a borinic ester compound.

3. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein the boron compound having one or more boron-hydrogen bonds (B—H) or boron-carbon bonds (B—C) is a boroxine compound represented by formula (2)

wherein R 2 , R 3 and R 4 each independently represent a substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted amino group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, and an acyloxy group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and at least one of R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms.

4. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 3 , wherein R 2 , R 3 and R 4 in formula (2) are each independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms.

5. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein the metal complex is represented by formula (C2)

wherein X, Y, M, L, q, R 5 , R 6 and R 7 represent the same meanings as described in formula (C1) and Q 1 represents an anionic ligand selected from —S(═O) 2 —O—, —C(═O)—O—, —P(═O)(—OH)—O—, —O—, and —S.

6. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 5 , wherein the metal complex is represented by formula (C4)

wherein X, Y, M, L, q, R 5 , R 6 and R 7 represent the same meanings as described in formula (C1).

7. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 5 , wherein Y in formula (C2) is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted methylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted imino group.

8. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 5 , wherein R 6 and R 7 in formula (C2) are both an alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms.

9. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein the metal complex is represented by formula (C3)

wherein X, Y, M, L, q, R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and Z have the same meanings as described in formula (C1), and Q 2 represents a neutral ligand selected from —P(—R 8 )(—R 9 )═O, and —C(—R 10 )═O, wherein R 8 , R 9 and R 10 represent the same meanings as described in formula (C1).

10. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 9 , wherein Y in formula (C3) is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted methylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted imino group.

11. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 9 , wherein R 6 and R 7 in formula (C3) are both an alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms.

12. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein Z in formula (C1) is one selected from SbF 6 , BPh 4 , BArF 4 (ArF 4 =[3,5-(CF 3 ) 2 C 6 H 3 ] 4 ), BF 4 or PF 6 .

13. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein the allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1) is allyl acetate (R 1 in formula (1) is an acetoxy group (CH 3 C(═O)—O—)).

14. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein, in a copolymerization reaction of ethylene and the allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1), or in a copolymerization reaction of ethylene, the allyl monomer having a polar group represented by formula (1), and another monomer, the method comprises adding the boron compound having one or more boron-hydrogen bonds or boron-carbon bonds by continuous feed or intermittent feed after the start of the polymerization reaction.

15. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 2 , wherein the boron compound having one or more boron-hydrogen bonds (B—H) or boron-carbon bonds (B—C) is a boroxine compound represented by formula (2)

wherein R 2 , R 3 and R 4 each independently represent a substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted amino group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, and an acyloxy group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and at least one of R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms.

16. The method for producing a copolymer according to claim 15 , wherein R 2 , R 3 and R 4 in formula (2) are each independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms.