A composition composed of at least a first ethylene/α-olefin/nonconjugated polyene interpolymer, which can be used to produce low compression set, foamed rubber materials, articles made from the composition, and methods of producing the composition and articles.

A composition composed of at least a first ethylene/α-olefin/nonconjugated polyene interpolymer, which can be used to produce low compression set, foamed rubber materials, articles made from the composition, and methods of producing the composition and articles.

The present invention relates to a catalyst mixture containing at least one metal complex according to the formula (1)

CyLMZ.sub.p  (1), and at least one metal complex according to the formula (2)

InLMZ.sub.p  (2), wherein Cy is a substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand that contains the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and 3 additional methyl groups, wherein R.sup.1 means H, halogen or a C.sub.3-C.sub.20 substituent and R.sup.2 means a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 substituent, In is an indenyl ligand, optionally substituted with one or more substituents R.sup.3, wherein the one or more substituents R.sup.3 mean independently C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl substituents, and independently for each formula (1) and (2) M is a group 4 metal Z independently is an anionic ligand, p is number of 1 to 2, preferably 2, and L is an amidinate ligand of the formula (3)

##STR00001## wherein the amidine-containing ligand is covalently bonded to the metal M via the imine nitrogen atom, and Sub1 is a substituent comprising a group 14 atom through which Sub1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom and Sub2 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, through which Sub2 is bonded to the imine carbon atom.

The present invention relates to a catalyst mixture containing at least one metal complex according to the formula (1)

CyLMZ.sub.p  (1), and at least one metal complex according to the formula (2)

InLMZ.sub.p  (2), wherein Cy is a substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand that contains the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and 3 additional methyl groups, wherein R.sup.1 means H, halogen or a C.sub.3-C.sub.20 substituent and R.sup.2 means a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 substituent, In is an indenyl ligand, optionally substituted with one or more substituents R.sup.3, wherein the one or more substituents R.sup.3 mean independently C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl substituents, and independently for each formula (1) and (2) M is a group 4 metal Z independently is an anionic ligand, p is number of 1 to 2, preferably 2, and L is an amidinate ligand of the formula (3)

##STR00001## wherein the amidine-containing ligand is covalently bonded to the metal M via the imine nitrogen atom, and Sub1 is a substituent comprising a group 14 atom through which Sub1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom and Sub2 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, through which Sub2 is bonded to the imine carbon atom.

The invention relates to a rubber composition which comprises an elastomer which is a copolymer of ethylene and of a 1,3-diene which comprises ethylene units which represent more than 50 mol % of the monomer units of the copolymer, the 1,3-diene being 1,3-butadiene or isoprene, 35 to 100 phr of a reinforcing filler which comprises a silica, a plasticizing system comprising a hydrocarbon plasticizing resin and a hydrocarbon liquid plasticizing agent, it being understood that the total content of hydrocarbon plasticizing resin and of hydrocarbon liquid plasticizing agent is greater than 10 phr and less than or equal to 80 phr. Such a composition confers on a tread of a tire an improved performance compromise between grip, roadholding and rolling resistance.

The invention relates to a rubber composition which comprises an elastomer which is a copolymer of ethylene and of a 1,3-diene which comprises ethylene units which represent more than 50 mol % of the monomer units of the copolymer, the 1,3-diene being 1,3-butadiene or isoprene, 35 to 100 phr of a reinforcing filler which comprises a silica, a plasticizing system comprising a hydrocarbon plasticizing resin and a hydrocarbon liquid plasticizing agent, it being understood that the total content of hydrocarbon plasticizing resin and of hydrocarbon liquid plasticizing agent is greater than 10 phr and less than or equal to 80 phr. Such a composition confers on a tread of a tire an improved performance compromise between grip, roadholding and rolling resistance.

An unsaturated deoxybenzoin compound has the structure (I)

##STR00001##

wherein 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 n are defined herein. A polymer including at least one group derived from a deoxybenzoin compound having structure (I), (II), or a combination thereof

##STR00002##

is also described, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, and n are defined herein.

Bis phenolate transition metal complexes are disclosed for use in alkene polymerization, with optional chain transfer agent, to produce polyolefins.

Bis phenolate transition metal complexes are disclosed for use in alkene polymerization, with optional chain transfer agent, to produce polyolefins.

A metal complex of the formula (1) CyLMZ.sub.p(A).sub.n (1), wherein M is a group 4 metal Z is an anionic ligand, p is number of 1 to 2, preferably 2, Cy is a cyclopentadienyl-type ligand substituted with at least one aliphatic C.sub.3-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl group, which is bonded to the cyclopentadienyl-type ligand, in particular to its cyclopentadienyl ring, via a secondary, a tertiary or quaternary carbon atom and, L is an amidinate ligand of the formula (2), wherein the amidine-containing ligand is covalently bonded to the metal M via the imine nitrogen atom, and Sub1 is a substituent comprising a group 14 atom through which Sub1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom and Sub2 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, through which Sub2 is bonded to the imine carbon atom and A is a neutral Lewis base ligand selected from the list consisting of ether, thioether, amine, tertiary phosphane, imine, nitrile and isonitrile, wherein the number of said metal ligands “n” is in the range of 0 to the amount that specifies the 18-electron rule.

##STR00001##