Provided in this disclosure are organometallic complexes that contain i) a metal atom selected from Hf and Zr; 2) a phosphinimine ligand; 3) an amido-ether ligand and at least one other ancillary ligand. The use of such a complex, in combination with an activator, as an olefin polymerization catalyst is demonstrated. The catalysts are effective for the copolymerization of ethylene with an alpha olefin (such as 1-butene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene) and enable the production of high molecular weight copolymers (Mw greater than 25,000) with good comonomer incorporation at high productivity.

The present application provides a catalyst component for alkene polymerization. The catalyst component contains: (a) a group 4 transition metal or rare earth metal, (b) a rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand with a tricyclic backbone composed of three ortho-fused 6-membered rings in a linear arrangement (as is the case in xanthene), with or without additional fused rings; the tricyclic backbone contains at least one donor atom within the central ring (as is the case for xanthene, oxanthrene, or acridan); furthermore, donor atoms/groups or aryl rings are attached directly (i.e. via the donor atom in the case of donor groups) to both of the bondable carbon atoms adjacent to at least one of the donor atoms within the central ring (e.g. xanthene with two donor groups, or two aryl rings, or one donor group and one aryl ring adjacent to oxygen), and (c) two or more activatable ligands, such as chloro, alkyl, aryl, allyl or hydride ligands, attached to the central metal if the complex is neutral or anionic, or one or more activatable ligand if the complex is monocationic or dicationic. The rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand has a charge of 0, 1- or 2- (considering all donor atoms of the ligand to have an octet of valence electrons). The catalyst component is optionally combined with an activator, typically for the purpose of generating a highly active monocationic or dicationic polymerization catalyst, and the catalyst and/or catalyst components may be in solution, precipitated from solution, or optionally carried on a support.

The present application provides a catalyst component for alkene polymerization. The catalyst component contains: (a) a group 4 transition metal or rare earth metal, (b) a rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand with a tricyclic backbone composed of three ortho-fused 6-membered rings in a linear arrangement (as is the case in xanthene), with or without additional fused rings; the tricyclic backbone contains at least one donor atom within the central ring (as is the case for xanthene, oxanthrene, or acridan); furthermore, donor atoms/groups or aryl rings are attached directly (i.e. via the donor atom in the case of donor groups) to both of the bondable carbon atoms adjacent to at least one of the donor atoms within the central ring (e.g. xanthene with two donor groups, or two aryl rings, or one donor group and one aryl ring adjacent to oxygen), and (c) two or more activatable ligands, such as chloro, alkyl, aryl, allyl or hydride ligands, attached to the central metal if the complex is neutral or anionic, or one or more activatable ligand if the complex is monocationic or dicationic. The rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand has a charge of 0, 1- or 2- (considering all donor atoms of the ligand to have an octet of valence electrons). The catalyst component is optionally combined with an activator, typically for the purpose of generating a highly active monocationic or dicationic polymerization catalyst, and the catalyst and/or catalyst components may be in solution, precipitated from solution, or optionally carried on a support.

The present disclosure provides pyridyl hydroxyl amine catalyst compounds and systems containing the compounds. The present disclosure is also directed to polymerization processes to produce polyolefin polymers from catalyst systems including one or more olefin polymerization catalysts, at least one activator, and an optional support. The compounds are represented by Formula I(a), I(b) or I(c): ##STR00001##

The present disclosure provides pyridyl hydroxyl amine catalyst compounds and systems containing the compounds. The present disclosure is also directed to polymerization processes to produce polyolefin polymers from catalyst systems including one or more olefin polymerization catalysts, at least one activator, and an optional support. The compounds are represented by Formula I(a), I(b) or I(c): ##STR00001##

The present disclosure provides catalyst compounds including a nonsymmetric bridged amine bis(phenolate), catalyst systems including such, and uses thereof. Catalyst compounds, catalyst systems, and processes of the present disclosure can provide high comonomer content and high molecular weight polymers having narrow Mw/Mn values, contributing to good processability for the polymer itself and for the polymer used in a composition.

The present disclosure provides catalyst compounds including a nonsymmetric bridged amine bis(phenolate), catalyst systems including such, and uses thereof. Catalyst compounds, catalyst systems, and processes of the present disclosure can provide high comonomer content and high molecular weight polymers having narrow Mw/Mn values, contributing to good processability for the polymer itself and for the polymer used in a composition.

This invention relates to a polymerization catalyst system comprising group 8 or 9 containing non-coordinating anion activator, a polymerization catalyst compound, optional support, and optional scavenger. Preferably, the activator comprises a compound represented by the formula: H.sub.s(L).sub.mM where M is a group 8 or 9 metal, s is 0 or 1, m 1, 2, 3, or 4, each L ligand is independently C≡O, NR.sub.3, PR.sub.3, where each R, independently is halogen, haloalkyl, or haloaryl) or optionally two or more L ligands may together form a multiply-valent ligand complex. Further, this invention relates to anon-coordinating anion activator represented by the formula: [Z.sub.d].sup.+[H.sub.sL.sub.mM].sup.d−, where M, s, m, L, are as defined above, d is 1, 2, or 3 and Z is (L′-H) or a reducible Lewis acid; L′ is a neutral Lewis base; H is hydrogen, and (L′-H) is a Bronsted acid. This invention also relates to a process for making a polymeric product comprising contacting a C2-C40 alpha-olefin feed with the polymerization catalyst system to obtain a polymerization reaction mixture; and obtaining a polymer product from the polymerization reaction mixture.

This invention relates to a polymerization catalyst system comprising group 8 or 9 containing non-coordinating anion activator, a polymerization catalyst compound, optional support, and optional scavenger. Preferably, the activator comprises a compound represented by the formula: H.sub.s(L).sub.mM where M is a group 8 or 9 metal, s is 0 or 1, m 1, 2, 3, or 4, each L ligand is independently C≡O, NR.sub.3, PR.sub.3, where each R, independently is halogen, haloalkyl, or haloaryl) or optionally two or more L ligands may together form a multiply-valent ligand complex. Further, this invention relates to anon-coordinating anion activator represented by the formula: [Z.sub.d].sup.+[H.sub.sL.sub.mM].sup.d−, where M, s, m, L, are as defined above, d is 1, 2, or 3 and Z is (L′-H) or a reducible Lewis acid; L′ is a neutral Lewis base; H is hydrogen, and (L′-H) is a Bronsted acid. This invention also relates to a process for making a polymeric product comprising contacting a C2-C40 alpha-olefin feed with the polymerization catalyst system to obtain a polymerization reaction mixture; and obtaining a polymer product from the polymerization reaction mixture.

The present disclosure provides a catalyst system having a salan catalyst compound and borate or aluminate activators comprising cations having alkyl groups and methods for polymerizing olefins using such catalyst systems. In still another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a polymerization process comprising a) contacting one or more olefin monomers with a catalyst system comprising: i) an activator as described herein, ii) a catalyst compound as described herein, and iii) optional support.