當不同的金屬茂觸媒,包括bis (ŋ^5-cyclopentadienyl) cobalt、bis (ŋ^5-cyclopenadienyl) nickel和bis(ŋ^5-cyclopentadienyl) titanium dichloride ,配合上不同的還原劑,包括正丁基鋰、苯基鋰、或三乙基鋰的時候,他們對SBS共聚合物的氫化飽合反應有不同的催化效率。其中,以bis(ŋ^5-cyclopentadienyl)cobalt (Cp_2Co) 結合正丁基鐘(n-BuLi) 所構成的觸媒系統被發現具有最良好之催化活性。氫氣的壓力與CP_2CO/正丁基鋰的比例皆會造成影響。實驗數據顯示,此反應存在著一個最適的氫氣壓力值以及最適的金屬茂/還原劑比例。從此觸媒系統之紫外線光譜獲得的數據指出,原來配位在CP_2CO的Cp 被丁基取代形成主要的觸媒物種CpCoBu 。此氫化反應的動力機制乃藉由使用FTIR 光譜監看此共聚物中polybutadiene 部份的雙鍵飽和程度而得到。
The cobaltocene/n-butyllithium catalyst system was found very active in the hydrogenation of polystyrene-b-polybutadiene-b-polystyrene (SBS) block copolymer. The catalytic efficiency was determined by monitoring the extent of saturation of bauble bounds on the polybutadiene segment of the copolymer using FTIR and ^1HNMR spectroscopy. The effects of H_2 pressure and the ratio of a-butyl-lithium to cobaltocene on the catalytic efficiency were investigated. Data from the UV spectroscopy of the catalyst system indicated that one of the Cp ligand in the original CP_2CO was substituted by the butyl group forming a CpCoBu as the major catalytic species. Other metallccenes, such as bis(ŋ^5-cyclopentadienyl)nickel and bis(ŋ^5-cyclopentadieny1)titanium dichloride. and other reducing agents. such as phenyllithium and triethylalurninum, have also been evaluated for their catalytic efficiencies.