The present invention provides, inter alia, a multidentate ligand having the structure of:

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Also provided are methods of preparing metal complexes from the multidentate ligand, and the metal complexes prepared by such methods. Further provided are catalysts comprising such metal complexes, and various uses of such catalysts.

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 CO, 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 invention relates to a self assembled catalyst. More particularly, the present invention relates to a self-assembled catalyst of formula (I) comprising supramolecular phosphine and carboxylate ligands, process for preparation thereof and use of said catalyst of formula (I) in olefin polymerization.

We provide a process for regenerating a used acidic ionic liquid catalyst which has been deactivated by conjunct polymers in a reactor, by removing at least 57 wt % of the conjunct polymers originally present in the used acidic ionic liquid catalyst in a separate regeneration reactor, so as to increase the activity of the catalyst. We also provide a regenerated used acidic ionic liquid catalyst having increased activity.

A process to produce a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer comprising combining a catalyst precursor and an activator with a feed comprising ethylene, C3 to C12 -olefins, and a dual-polymerizable diene to obtain a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer; where the catalyst precursor is selected from pyridyldiamide and quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes. The branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer may comprise within a range from 40 to 80 wt % of ethylene-derived units by weight of the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer, and 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, and the remainder comprising C3 to C12 -olefin derived units, wherein the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer has a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) within a range from 100 kg/mole to 300 kg/mole, an average branching index (g.sub.avg) of 0.9 or more, and a branching index at very high M.sub.w (g.sub.1000) of less than 0.9.

A process to produce a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer comprising combining a catalyst precursor and an activator with a feed comprising ethylene, C3 to C12 -olefins, and a dual-polymerizable diene to obtain a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer; where the catalyst precursor is selected from pyridyldiamide and quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes. The branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer may comprise within a range from 40 to 80 wt % of ethylene-derived units by weight of the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer, and 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, and the remainder comprising C3 to C12 -olefin derived units, wherein the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer has a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) within a range from 100 kg/mole to 300 kg/mole, an average branching index (g.sub.avg) of 0.9 or more, and a branching index at very high M.sub.w (g.sub.1000) of less than 0.9.

A method of preparing a high-purity metallocene catalyst capable of providing various selectivities and high activities for polyolefin copolymers, wherein a metallocene compound is formed by reacting a ligand compound with a zirconium compound, and then lithium chloride as a reaction by-product included in the metallocene compound is prepared in a form of a complex compound and effectively removed in a subsequent step of extracting the catalyst, thereby effectively preparing the high-purity metallocene catalyst, is provided.

In one aspect, oligomeric and polymeric species are described herein exhibiting new architectures and associated properties. In some embodiments, such species are synthesized by oligomerization or polymerization of diene monomer via cycloaddition in the presence of a transition metal complex. Oligomers described herein, for example, comprise cyclobutane units in the oligomer backbone. Similarly, a polymers described herein comprise cyclobutane units in the polymer backbone.

Methods for synthesizing a water-soluble titanium-silicon complex are disclosed herein. The titanium-silicon complex can be utilized to produce titanated solid oxide supports and titanated chromium supported catalysts. The titanated chromium supported catalysts subsequently can be used to polymerize olefins to produce, for example, ethylene based homopolymer and copolymers.

The present invention relates to a process to prepare alkylaluminoxanes by reaction of alkylaluminium with methacrylic acid or a conjugated unsaturated carbonyl-functional compound of the formula (I) wherein each R1 and R2 independently are an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, and R3 independently is the same hydrocarbon group as R1 and R2 or a hydrogen atom, and R4 isanaliphatic hydrocarbon group, a hydroxyl group or a hydrogen atom in the presence of an inert organic solvent. Additionally, it relates to the alkylaluminoxanes obtainable by the above process and their use. ##STR00001##