Simple Activities to Understanding Enantioface Coordination and Stereochemical Controls of Metallocene-Catalyzed Propene Polymerization

Simple activities to aid in the understanding the enantioface coordination and stereochemical controls of metallocene-catalyzed propene polymerization are described. The enantioface coordination of propene coordinating to the metal center can be visualized with the superposition of a hand to coordinated propene. The activities simulating the propene polymerization can be performed by a group of students to understand the stereochemically controlled mechanisms leading to isotactic and syndiotactic polypropenes.