A series of phosphine-sulfonate ligands bearing 2-,3- and 4-vinylphenyl on the phosphorus atom were designed,synthesized,characterized and investigated in Ni- and Pd-catalyzed ethylene polymerization.The structure of the phosphine-sulfonate Pd complex bearing 2-vinylphenyl on the phosphorus atom showed 2,1-insertion for the 2-vinyl group.The phosphine-sulfonate Ni complex bearing 2-vinylphenyl resulted in significantly increased thermal stability and polyethylene molecular weights (Mn=3.69×104 g·mol-1 at 80 ℃) versus the counterparts bearing 3-/4-vinyl groups as well as previously reported phosphine-sulfonate Ni complexes bearing bulky biaryl substituents.