Activators

Albemarle offers a range of activators, such as Aluminoxanes and Organoborons. You can also click here for a list of references dealing with Activators.

Aluminoxanes

Methylaluminoxane (MAO) has become a key component in single-site catalysts. Albemarle first produced developmental quantities of MAO in the mid-eighties, as an outgrowth of our work on aluminum alkyl cocatalysts.

Thanks to our commitment to this fast-paced field, metallocene commercialization has never been limited by the availability of MAO.

Although we are the world's largest MAO supplier, we've recently increased our production capacity by 30 percent - - yet another step in a series of planned expansions to meet the growth forecast for single-site catalysts.

Because security of supply is so important, we make our own trimethyl aluminum, and our capacity is sufficient to support forecasted growth in MAO demand. This depth of commitment is not new. Extensive efforts to characterize and improve MAO have been underway in Albemarle facilities for years, along with research designed to improve the stability and activity of aluminoxanes, to reduce their cost, and to provide the product in solvents that are compatible with its various uses.

Albemarle distributes MAO globally, and we are well-known for quality and consistency throughout Europe, Japan and the Americas. We supply MAO in standard concentrations of 10% and 30%. Other concentrations are available on request.

Though you can already count on Albemarle's product quality and consistency, and our worldwide delivery capability, the best may be yet to come. Our chemists are working on a variety of developmental aluminoxanes (DMAOs) that will provide increased activity and aliphatic solubility and longer shelf life. Albemarle DMAOs are available under appropriate sampling agreements.

Albemarle MAO Properties and Characteristics
	Units	30% MAO In Toluene	10% MAO In Toluene	Notes
Normal Boiling Pt	°F	231	231	For toluene
Normal Boiling Pt	°C	111	111	For toluene
Normal Freezing Pt	°C	-60	-60	For toluene
Density @ 23 °C (68 °F)	lb/gal	7.67	7.42
Density @ 23 °C (68 °F)	g/mL	0.92	0.89
Vapor Pressure @ 20 °C	mmHg	22	22	For toluene
Specific Heat @ 86 °F	Btu/lb	0.41	.41	For toluene
Specific Heat @ 30 °C	kJ/kg	0.95	.95	For toluene
Flash Point	°C	-22	-22	For toluene
Pyrophoric		No	No
Water Reactive		Yes	Yes

Organoborons

Boron-based cocatalysts are important activators for metallocene catalyst systems, and many contain heavily fluorinated aromatic groups. Examples include pentafluorophenyl-substituted cocatalysts such as tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and various salts of tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate.

Because critical pentafluorophenyl intermediates were produced only in Russia and Japan, Albemarle has back- integrated into production the pentafluorophenyl intermediates needed to produce organoboron cocatalysts.

We are the first and today the only integrated supplier in the western hemisphere offering assurance of supply of these critical cocatalyst products.

Our standard organoboron cocatalysts are:

• N,N-Dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (B1)
• Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B2)
• Lithium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (B3)
• Trityl tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (B4)

Other organoboron cocatalysts may be available on a custom basis.

Albemarle B1 N,N-Dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate Properties and Characteristics

Units Properties Appearance White Powder Formula Wt. 801.24 Melting Point °C 225 - 227 (decomposes) Average Particle Size microns 10 - 200 Thermal Stability °C 225 (decomposes) Thermal Stability °F 437 (decomposes) Water Sensitive Yes

Albemarle B2 Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane Properties and Characteristics

Units Properties Appearance White Powder Product Form Solution in Hydrocarbon Formula Wt. 511.99 Vapor Pressure @ 25 °C mm Hg 30 (for Isopar E) Air Sensitive Yes Water Sensitive Yes