A BrnstedLowry acid initiator system for cationic polymerization of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer involves an initiator having a structure of Formula (I) in an anhydrous polymerization medium (I) where: M is tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V) or niobium (Ni); each R.sub.1 is independently H, OR.sub.6, F, Cl, Br, I or alkyl, where R.sub.6 is H or alkyl; R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are independently H, F, Cl Br, I, alkyl or aryl, or two or more of R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 on a same benzene ring form a bicyclic, tricyclic or tetracyclic moiety with the benzene ring, with the proviso that all of R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 on the same benzene ring are not H; L is absent or a molecule that coordinates to H.sup.+; and, x is 0 when L is absent, or x is 0.5 or more when L is present.

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The present invention is directed at a bulkpolymerisation process for the preparation of a polymer (P) comprising the steps of: (i) providing at least one diene monomer (DM) and optionally at least one comonomer (COM); (ii) contacting the at least one diene monomer (DM) and optionally the at least one comonomer (COM) with a catalyst system (CS) forming a reaction mixture (RM); (iii) polymerizing the reaction mixture (RM) comprising the at least one diene monomer (DM) and optionally the at least one comonomer (COM) in at least one reactor vessel (RV); (iv) isolating the polymer (P) obtained from the at least one reactor vessel (RV); wherein the reaction mixture (RM) comprises solvent, diluent and/or dispersant in an amount of 10 wt.-%, based on the weight of the reaction mixture (RM); and wherein the conversion rate of the diene monomer (DM) and optionally the comonomer (COM) is 80%.

The present invention is directed at a bulkpolymerisation process for the preparation of a polymer (P) comprising the steps of: (i) providing at least one diene monomer (DM) and optionally at least one comonomer (COM); (ii) contacting the at least one diene monomer (DM) and optionally the at least one comonomer (COM) with a catalyst system (CS) forming a reaction mixture (RM); (iii) polymerizing the reaction mixture (RM) comprising the at least one diene monomer (DM) and optionally the at least one comonomer (COM) in at least one reactor vessel (RV); (iv) isolating the polymer (P) obtained from the at least one reactor vessel (RV); wherein the reaction mixture (RM) comprises solvent, diluent and/or dispersant in an amount of 10 wt.-%, based on the weight of the reaction mixture (RM); and wherein the conversion rate of the diene monomer (DM) and optionally the comonomer (COM) is 80%.

Vanadium phosphinic complex having general formula (I) or (II):

V(X).sub.3[P(R.sub.1).sub.n(R.sub.2).sub.3-n].sub.2(I)

V(X).sub.3[(R.sub.3).sub.2P(R.sub.4)P(R.sub.3).sub.2](II) wherein: X represents an anion selected from halogens such as, for example, chlorine, bromine, iodine, preferably chlorine; or is selected from the following groups: thiocyanate, isocyanate, sulfate, acid sulfate, phosphate, acid phosphate, carboxylate, dicarboxylate; R.sub.1, identical or different among them, represent a hydrogen atom, or an allyl group (CH.sub.2CHCH.sub.2); or are selected from alkyl groups C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, linear or branched, optionally halogenated, optionally substituted cycloalkyl groups; n is an integer ranging from 0 to 3; R.sub.2, identical or different among them, are selected from optionally substituted aryl groups; R.sub.3, identical or different among them, represent a hydrogen atom, or an allyl group (CH.sub.2CHCH.sub.2); or are selected from alkyl groups C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, linear or branched, optionally halogenated, optionally substituted cycloalkyl groups, optionally substituted aryl groups; R.sub.4 represents a group NR.sub.5 wherein R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, or is selected from C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl groups, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, linear or branched; or R.sub.4 represents an alkylene group (CH.sub.2) p- wherein p represents an integer ranging from 1 to 5; provided that in the general formula (I), in case n is equal to 1 and R.sub.1 is methyl, R.sub.2 is different from phenyl.

Said phosphinic vanadium complex having general formula (I) or (II) can be advantageously used in a catalytic system for the (co)polymerization of conjugated dienes.

Vanadium phosphinic complex having general formula (I) or (II):

V(X).sub.3[P(R.sub.1).sub.n(R.sub.2).sub.3-n].sub.2(I)

V(X).sub.3[(R.sub.3).sub.2P(R.sub.4)P(R.sub.3).sub.2](II) wherein: X represents an anion selected from halogens such as, for example, chlorine, bromine, iodine, preferably chlorine; or is selected from the following groups: thiocyanate, isocyanate, sulfate, acid sulfate, phosphate, acid phosphate, carboxylate, dicarboxylate; R.sub.1, identical or different among them, represent a hydrogen atom, or an allyl group (CH.sub.2CHCH.sub.2); or are selected from alkyl groups C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, linear or branched, optionally halogenated, optionally substituted cycloalkyl groups; n is an integer ranging from 0 to 3; R.sub.2, identical or different among them, are selected from optionally substituted aryl groups; R.sub.3, identical or different among them, represent a hydrogen atom, or an allyl group (CH.sub.2CHCH.sub.2); or are selected from alkyl groups C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, linear or branched, optionally halogenated, optionally substituted cycloalkyl groups, optionally substituted aryl groups; R.sub.4 represents a group NR.sub.5 wherein R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, or is selected from C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl groups, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, linear or branched; or R.sub.4 represents an alkylene group (CH.sub.2) p- wherein p represents an integer ranging from 1 to 5; provided that in the general formula (I), in case n is equal to 1 and R.sub.1 is methyl, R.sub.2 is different from phenyl.

Said phosphinic vanadium complex having general formula (I) or (II) can be advantageously used in a catalytic system for the (co)polymerization of conjugated dienes.

A metal complex of a metal from groups 13 to 16 uses a ligand of the structure (I), where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can independently be oxygen, sulfur, selenium, NH or NR.sup.4, where R.sup.4 an alkyl or aryl and can be connected to R.sup.3. R.sup.3 is an alkyl, long-chain alkyl, alkoxy, long-chain alkoxy, cycloalkyl, halogenalkyl, aryl, arylene, halogenaryl, heteroaryl, heteroarylene, heterocycloalkylene, heterocycloalkyl, halogenheteroaryl, alkenyl, halogenalkenyl, alkynyl, halogenalkynyl, ketoaryl, halogenketoaryl, ketoheteroaryl, ketoalkyl, halogenketoalkyl, ketoalkenyl, halogenketoalkenyl, where in suitable radicals, one or more non-adjacent CH.sup.2-groups can be substituted independently of one another by O, S, NH, NR.sup.o-, SiR.sup.oR.sup.oo-, CO, COO, OCO, OCOO, SO.sub.2-, SCO, COS, CY1CY2 or C.dbd.C, specifically in such a way that O and/or S atoms are not connected directly to one another, are likewise optionally substituted with aryl- or heteroaryl preferably containing 1 to 30 C atoms, as a dopant for matrix materials in organic electronic components.

A catalyst for the homopolymerization or copolymerization of CH.sub.2CHR olefins, made from or containing the product obtained by contacting: (i) a solid catalyst component made from or containing Ti, Mg, Cl, and an internal electron donor compound, wherein the solid catalyst component contains from about 0.1 to about 50 wt % of Bi, based upon the total weight of the solid catalyst component; (ii) an alkyl aluminum compound and, (iii) an external electron donor compound having the formula:

(R1)aSi(OR2)b

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals with 1-8 carbon atoms and a is 0 or 1 and a+b=4.

Provided herein are multimodal elastomer compositions comprising a first polymer fraction and a second polymer fraction, and methods for making such compositions. The elastomer compositions are preferably ethylene, -olefin, copolymers or ethylene, -olefin, polyene terpolymers. The elastomer compositions have high Mooney viscosity, thereby providing for improved elastomeric properties in compounds and other articles formed from the elastomer compositions. Surprisingly, the high Mooney viscosity compositions exhibit a much lower than expected viscosity when formulated into elastomer compounds. Thus, the processing detriments typically associated with high Mooney viscosity elastomers are minimized through the use of the elastomer compositions, and methods for making them, disclosed herein.

Provided herein are multimodal elastomer compositions comprising a first polymer fraction and a second polymer fraction, and methods for making such compositions. The elastomer compositions are preferably ethylene, -olefin, copolymers or ethylene, -olefin, polyene terpolymers. The elastomer compositions have high Mooney viscosity, thereby providing for improved elastomeric properties in compounds and other articles formed from the elastomer compositions. Surprisingly, the high Mooney viscosity compositions exhibit a much lower than expected viscosity when formulated into elastomer compounds. Thus, the processing detriments typically associated with high Mooney viscosity elastomers are minimized through the use of the elastomer compositions, and methods for making them, disclosed herein.

Provided herein are multimodal elastomer compositions comprising a first polymer fraction and a second polymer fraction, and methods for making such compositions. The elastomer compositions are preferably ethylene, -olefin, copolymers or ethylene, -olefin, polyene terpolymers. The elastomer compositions have high Mooney viscosity, thereby providing for improved elastomeric properties in compounds and other articles formed from the elastomer compositions. Surprisingly, the high Mooney viscosity compositions exhibit a much lower than expected viscosity when formulated into elastomer compounds. Thus, the processing detriments typically associated with high Mooney viscosity elastomers are minimized through the use of the elastomer compositions, and methods for making them, disclosed herein.