The present disclosure relates to bis(aryl phenolate) Lewis base catalysts. Catalysts, catalyst systems, and processes of the present disclosure can provide high temperature ethylene polymerization, propylene polymerization, or copolymerization as the bis(aryl phenolate) Lewis base catalysts are stable at high polymerization temperatures and have good activity at the high polymerization temperatures. The stable catalysts with good activity can provide formation of polymers having high molecular weights and the ability to make an increased amount of polymer in a given reactor, as compared to conventional catalysts. Hence, the present disclosure demonstrates highly active catalysts capable of operating at high reactor temperatures while producing polymers with controlled molecular weights and or robust isotacticity.

This invention relates to transition metal complexes of a dianionic, tridentate ligand that features a central neutral heterocyclic Lewis base and two phenolate donors, where the tridentate ligand coordinates to the metal center to form two eight-membered rings. Preferably the bis(phenolate) complexes are represented by Formula (I):

##STR00001##

where M, L, X, m, n, E, E, Q, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, A.sup.1, A.sup.1,

##STR00002##

are as defined herein, where A.sup.1QA.sup.1 are part of a heterocyclic Lewis base containing 4 to 40 non-hydrogen atoms that links A.sup.2 to A.sup.2 via a 3-atom bridge with Q being the central atom of the 3-atom bridge.

This invention relates to supported catalyst compositions of transition metal complexes of a dianionic, tridentate ligand that features a central neutral heterocyclic Lewis base and two phenolate donors, where the tridentate ligand coordinates to the metal center to form two eight-membered rings. Preferably the bis(phenolate) complexes are represented by Formula (I):

##STR00001##

where M, L, X, m, n, E, E, Q, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, A.sup.1, A.sup.1, A.sup.3A.sup.2, and A.sup.2A.sup.3 are as defined herein, where A.sup.1QA.sup.1 are part of a heterocyclic Lewis base containing 4 to 40 non-hydrogen atoms that links A.sup.2 to A.sup.2 via a 3-atom bridge with Q being the central atom of the 3-atom bridge.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards metal complexes that can be utilized to form polymers. As an example, the present disclosure provides a metal complex of Formula (I) wherein M is Zr, Hf, or Ti; each Het is independently a heterocyclic; each L is independently a bridging group; each X is independently Cl, Br, I, or alkyl; each R.sup.1 is independently selected from the group including hydrogen, alkyls, alkenyls, alkynyls, cycloalkyls, aryls, acyls, aroyls, alkoxys, aryloxys, alkylthiols, dialkylamines, alkylamidos, alkoxycarbonyls, aryloxycarbonyls, carbomoyls, alkyl- and dialkyl-carbamoyls, acyloxys, acylaminos, aroylaminos, aromatic rings, fused aromatic rings, and combinations thereof; and each n is independently an integer having a value of one to five. ##STR00001##

Disclosed herein is a catalyst compound represented by Formula (I) or Formula (II): ##STR00001##
M is a group 4 metal. Each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 is independently hydrogen, or a C1-C50 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, silylcarbyl, alkoxyl, siloxyl, or one or more of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7, and R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 are joined to form cyclic a saturated or unsaturated ring. Each X is independently a halide or C1-C50 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, hydride, amide, alkoxide, sulfide, phosphide, halide, or a combination thereof, or two Xs are joined together to form a metallocycle ring, or two Xs are joined to form a chelating ligand, a diene ligand, or an alkylidene. Also disclosed is a method for using the catalyst compound in a catalyst system to produce polyolefin polymers.

The present invention relates to a novel ligand compound represented by Formula 1 and a novel transition metal compound represented by Formula 2, and the novel ligand compound and transition metal compound according to the present invention has high comonomer incorporation effect in the preparation of an olefinic polymer having a low density and a high molecular weight, and thus can be usefully used as a catalyst for a polymerization reaction.

Methods for determining the concentration of transition metal compounds in a solution containing more than one transition metal compound are described. Polymerization reactor systems providing real-time monitoring and control of the concentrations of the transition metal components of a multicomponent catalyst system are disclosed, as well as methods for operating such polymerization reactor systems and for improving methods of preparing the multicomponent catalyst system.

A production method for a catalyst, in which a catalyst that is a metallocene compound can be produced with high purity and high yield using a ligand of a specific structure containing a fluorene skeleton. The catalyst is produced by a method including a step (I) in which a ligand of a specific structure containing a fluorene skeleton is reacted with a specific amount of an organic lithium compound of a specific structure; a step (II) in which the product of step (I) is reacted with one or more of Mg compounds of a predetermined structure, Zn compounds of a predetermined structure and Al compounds of a predetermined structure; and a step (III) in which the product of step (II) is reacted with at least 1 molar equivalent, with respect to the ligand, of a Ti compound, a Zr compound or an Hf compound, the compound having a halogen atom or the like.

The invention covers a supported catalyst system prepared according to a process comprising the following step: i). impregnating a silica-containing catalyst support having a specific surface area of from 150 m.sup.2/g to 800 m.sup.2/g, preferably 280 m.sup.2/g to 600 m.sup.2/g, with one or more titanium compounds of the general formula selected from R.sub.nTi(OR).sub.m and (RO).sub.nTi(OR).sub.m, wherein R and R are the same or different and are selected from hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to 12 carbon and halogens, and wherein n is 0 to 4, m is 0 to 4 and m+n equals 4, to form a titanated silica-containing catalyst support having a Ti content of at least 0.1 wt % based on the weight of the Ti-impregnated catalyst support
wherein the supported catalyst system further comprises an alumoxane and a metallocene.

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.