The invention relates to a family of Pd(II)-based catalysts of general formula (I) reproduced below for use in the production of olefin/polar vinyl monomer copolymers and olefin homopolymers. The invention also refers to ligands that are intermediates in the synthesis of the catalysts, to the process for the synthesis of homo- and copolymers using these catalysts, and to the homo- and copolymers thus obtained.

The present invention provides 1,4-cis polybutadiene having high linearity with an −S/R value of 1 or greater at 100° C., and accordingly, is capable of reducing resistance properties, particularly rolling resistance, and greatly enhancing fuel efficiency properties when used in a rubber composition.

A two steps polymerization process for obtaining a polyolefin composition comprising: a) from 25 wt % to 70 wt % of a propylene homopolymer or a propylene-ethylene copolymer containing from 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of ethylene derived units; b) from 27 wt % to 70 wt % of a copolymer of ethylene and at least one C.sub.3-C.sub.20 alpha olefins, wherein the ethylene derived units content ranges from 15 wt % to 70 wt %; c) from 3 wt % to 20 wt % of polyethylene homopolymer or an ethylene and at least one C.sub.3-C.sub.20 alpha olefins copolymer; the sum a)+b)+c) being 100, wherein said process comprises: step a) contacting under polymerization conditions propylene, optionally ethylene and the catalyst system in order to obtain component a), step b) contacting under polymerization conditions ethylene and at least one C3-C20 alpha-olefins and the catalyst system in order to obtain components b) and c); wherein the catalyst system comprises a metallocene compound and an iron complex.

Processes of polymerizing olefin monomers and catalyst systems. The catalyst systems include a non-hydrogen-generating post-metallocene procatalyst; a co-catalyst; and a hydrogenation procatalyst having the formula Cp.sub.2TiX.sub.nTiCp.sub.2 or Cp.sub.2TiX.sub.n, in which each Cp is cyclopentadienyl substituted with at least one (C.sub.1-C.sub.10)alkyl; each X is independently monoanionic or neutral, wherein each X is independently (C.sub.1-C.sub.40)hydrocarbon, (C.sub.1-C.sub.40)heterohydrocarbon, (C.sub.1-C.sub.40)hydrocarbyl, (C.sub.1-C.sub.40)heterohydrocarbyl, or a halogen atom; and n is 1 or 2.

A method of preparing a conjugated diene-based polymer is provided. The method includes: adding a conjugated diene-based monomer, a catalyst, and a solvent to parallel polymerization reactors, performing a polymerization reaction to prepare a first polymer solution including a first conjugated diene-based polymer; and adding the first polymer solution to a polymerization reactor connected in series to the parallel polymerization reactors, performing the polymerization reaction to prepare a second polymer solution including a second conjugated diene-based polymer. After the polymerization reaction in the series polymerization reactor, gas produced by polymerization heat is condensed in the series polymerization reactor and refluxed to the parallel polymerization reactors, and a reaction temperature of the series polymerization reactor is maintained to be lower than a reaction temperature of the parallel polymerization reactors by 10° C. or more.

The invention relates to polybutadiene, which contains the monomer units derived from 1,3-butadiene having a vinyl double bond in a proportion of 25 to 75 mole percent, having a trans-double bond in a proportion of 0 to 10 mole percent and a cis-double bond in a proportion of 25 to 75 mole percent, wherein the totality of the monomer units (A), (B) and (C) is supplemented to 100 mole percent, and which is characterized in that it has a number-average mole mass of 1,000 to 3,000 g/mole. The invention further relates to a method for producing polybutadienes, the use of the polybutadiene according to the invention and compositions containing polybutadiene according to the invention.

A block copolymer is disclosed. The block copolymer has a structure of formula (V) below:

[D].sub.x-[E].sub.y-[F].sub.z  (V) wherein D, E, and F are each independently a compound of formula (VI) below, and D, E, and F are different from each other; and x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 1 to 40;

##STR00001## wherein A.sub.2 is O or S; R.sub.7 is H or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl; and R.sub.8 is a C.sub.1-12 alkyl, (CH.sub.2).sub.qN(R.sub.11).sub.2, CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2).sub.rCH.sub.2N(R.sub.12).sub.2, or CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2).sub.sCH.sub.2OR.sub.13, wherein R.sub.11, R.sub.12, and R.sub.13 are each independently a C.sub.1-6 alkyl; and q, r, and s are each independently an integer from 1 to 10.

A block copolymer is disclosed. The block copolymer has a structure of formula (V) below:

[D].sub.x-[E].sub.y-[F].sub.z  (V) wherein D, E, and F are each independently a compound of formula (VI) below, and D, E, and F are different from each other; and x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 1 to 40;

##STR00001## wherein A.sub.2 is O or S; R.sub.7 is H or a C.sub.1-6 alkyl; and R.sub.8 is a C.sub.1-12 alkyl, (CH.sub.2).sub.qN(R.sub.11).sub.2, CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2).sub.rCH.sub.2N(R.sub.12).sub.2, or CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2).sub.sCH.sub.2OR.sub.13, wherein R.sub.11, R.sub.12, and R.sub.13 are each independently a C.sub.1-6 alkyl; and q, r, and s are each independently an integer from 1 to 10.

A catalyst for olefin polymerization containing at least one metal complex comprising at least one —SF.sub.5 group attached to a ligand bound to the metal. The invention further relates to catalyst, a process for making polyolefins and dispersions of UHMWPE.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-component polar olefin copolymer which has sufficiently improved solvent solubility without impairing mechanical properties and the like. The present invention relates to a multi-component polar olefin copolymer containing: one kind of unit of nonpolar monomer (X1) that is ethylene or an α-olefin having 3 to 10 carbon atoms; one or two or more kinds of units of polar monomers (formula (1), Z1); and structural unit(s) of one or two or more kinds of units of nonpolar monomers (X2) that are different from the above X1 and/or one or two or more kinds of units of polar monomers (formula (2), Z2):
H.sub.2C═CH—COOQT1  (1)
H.sub.2C═CH-T2  (2).