Activators may comprise compounds represented by the Formula [Ar(EHR.sup.1R.sup.2)(OR.sup.3)]d+[M.sup.k+Q.sub.n].sup.d, wherein: Ar is an aryl group; E is nitrogen or phosphorous; R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.30, optionally substituted, linear alkyl group; R.sup.2 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.30, optionally substituted, linear alkyl group; R.sup.3 is a C.sub.10-C.sub.30, optionally substituted, linear alkyl group; M is an element selected from group 13 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; d is 1, 2 or 3; k is 1, 2, or 3; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; n−k=d; and each Q is independently hydride, bridged or unbridged dialkylamido, halide, alkoxide, aryloxide, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, substituted halocarbyl, or halosubstituted-hydrocarbyl radical. Catalysts systems may comprise these activators and methods of preparing polyolefins may use these catalysts systems.

Activators may comprise compounds represented by the Formula [Ar(EHR.sup.1R.sup.2)(OR.sup.3)]d+[M.sup.k+Q.sub.n].sup.d, wherein: Ar is an aryl group; E is nitrogen or phosphorous; R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.30, optionally substituted, linear alkyl group; R.sup.2 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.30, optionally substituted, linear alkyl group; R.sup.3 is a C.sub.10-C.sub.30, optionally substituted, linear alkyl group; M is an element selected from group 13 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; d is 1, 2 or 3; k is 1, 2, or 3; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; n−k=d; and each Q is independently hydride, bridged or unbridged dialkylamido, halide, alkoxide, aryloxide, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, substituted halocarbyl, or halosubstituted-hydrocarbyl radical. Catalysts systems may comprise these activators and methods of preparing polyolefins may use these catalysts systems.

The present invention relates to a compound according to formula 1: wherein: •each of R.sub.1 to R.sub.12 may individually be a moiety selected from hydrogen, an aryl moiety, an aryl moiety, a halogen, an alkyl or aryl moiety with halogen substituent(s), an alkoxy moiety, a siloxy moiety, or a nitrogen-containing moiety, wherein each R moiety may optionally form a ring structure with an adjacent R moiety; •each of A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 may individually be a moiety selected from: o an element of Group 16 of the periodic system; and o a moiety containing an element of Group 15 of the periodic system; preferably wherein A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are selected from O or NR.sub.13, wherein R.sub.13 is an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl moiety, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl moiety, preferably a p-tolyl moiety; •T is a divalent hydrocarbyl moiety; •D is a substituted element of Group 15 or Group 16 of the periodic system, preferably an N(R.sub.14).sub.2 or OR.sub.14 moiety, in which R.sub.14 is selected to be an alkyl moiety, an aryl moiety, or an aralkyl moiety, preferably R.sub.14 is a methyl moiety; •Y is an element selected from Group 15 of the periodic system, preferably N; •Mt is a transition metal, preferably selected from Group 3 or 4 of the periodic system, more preferably selected from Ti, Hf and Zr; •X is a sigma-bonded ligand, preferably selected from a halogen, an alkyl moiety, an aralkyl moiety, an alkoxy moiety, an aryloxy moiety, and a dialkylamine moiety; and Classification: General Business Use •n is the amount of X ligands bonded to X. Such compound allow for use in catalysts that result in high molecular weight polymers, display high catalyst activities and give excellent comonomer incorporation.

The present invention relates to a compound according to formula 1: wherein: •each of R.sub.1 to R.sub.12 may individually be a moiety selected from hydrogen, an aryl moiety, an aryl moiety, a halogen, an alkyl or aryl moiety with halogen substituent(s), an alkoxy moiety, a siloxy moiety, or a nitrogen-containing moiety, wherein each R moiety may optionally form a ring structure with an adjacent R moiety; •each of A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 may individually be a moiety selected from: o an element of Group 16 of the periodic system; and o a moiety containing an element of Group 15 of the periodic system; preferably wherein A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are selected from O or NR.sub.13, wherein R.sub.13 is an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl moiety, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl moiety, preferably a p-tolyl moiety; •T is a divalent hydrocarbyl moiety; •D is a substituted element of Group 15 or Group 16 of the periodic system, preferably an N(R.sub.14).sub.2 or OR.sub.14 moiety, in which R.sub.14 is selected to be an alkyl moiety, an aryl moiety, or an aralkyl moiety, preferably R.sub.14 is a methyl moiety; •Y is an element selected from Group 15 of the periodic system, preferably N; •Mt is a transition metal, preferably selected from Group 3 or 4 of the periodic system, more preferably selected from Ti, Hf and Zr; •X is a sigma-bonded ligand, preferably selected from a halogen, an alkyl moiety, an aralkyl moiety, an alkoxy moiety, an aryloxy moiety, and a dialkylamine moiety; and Classification: General Business Use •n is the amount of X ligands bonded to X. Such compound allow for use in catalysts that result in high molecular weight polymers, display high catalyst activities and give excellent comonomer incorporation.

The invention provides a molecular transition metal complex selected from Formula 1, as described herein; an ethylene-based polymer; and a process to form the ethylene-based polymer, said process comprising polymerizing ethylene in the presence of at least one molecular transition metal complex selected from Formula 1, as described herein, and wherein either Z.sub.1 or Z.sub.2 is dative covalent (coordinate) to the metal (M).

##STR00001##

The invention provides a molecular transition metal complex selected from Formula 1, as described herein; an ethylene-based polymer; and a process to form the ethylene-based polymer, said process comprising polymerizing ethylene in the presence of at least one molecular transition metal complex selected from Formula 1, as described herein, and wherein either Z.sub.1 or Z.sub.2 is dative covalent (coordinate) to the metal (M).

##STR00001##

The present application provides a catalyst component for alkene polymerization. The catalyst component contains: (a) a group 4 transition metal or rare earth metal, (b) a rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand with a tricyclic backbone composed of three ortho-fused 6-membered rings in a linear arrangement (as is the case in xanthene), with or without additional fused rings; the tricyclic backbone contains at least one donor atom within the central ring (as is the case for xanthene, oxanthrene, or acridan); furthermore, donor atoms/groups or aryl rings are attached directly (i.e. via the donor atom in the case of donor groups) to both of the bondable carbon atoms adjacent to at least one of the donor atoms within the central ring (e.g. xanthene with two donor groups, or two aryl rings, or one donor group and one aryl ring adjacent to oxygen), and (c) two or more activatable ligands, such as chloro, alkyl, aryl, allyl or hydride ligands, attached to the central metal if the complex is neutral or anionic, or one or more activatable ligand if the complex is monocationic or dicationic. The rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand has a charge of 0, 1- or 2- (considering all donor atoms of the ligand to have an octet of valence electrons). The catalyst component is optionally combined with an activator, typically for the purpose of generating a highly active monocationic or dicationic polymerization catalyst, and the catalyst and/or catalyst components may be in solution, precipitated from solution, or optionally carried on a support.

The present application provides a catalyst component for alkene polymerization. The catalyst component contains: (a) a group 4 transition metal or rare earth metal, (b) a rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand with a tricyclic backbone composed of three ortho-fused 6-membered rings in a linear arrangement (as is the case in xanthene), with or without additional fused rings; the tricyclic backbone contains at least one donor atom within the central ring (as is the case for xanthene, oxanthrene, or acridan); furthermore, donor atoms/groups or aryl rings are attached directly (i.e. via the donor atom in the case of donor groups) to both of the bondable carbon atoms adjacent to at least one of the donor atoms within the central ring (e.g. xanthene with two donor groups, or two aryl rings, or one donor group and one aryl ring adjacent to oxygen), and (c) two or more activatable ligands, such as chloro, alkyl, aryl, allyl or hydride ligands, attached to the central metal if the complex is neutral or anionic, or one or more activatable ligand if the complex is monocationic or dicationic. The rigid non-cyclopentadienyl ligand has a charge of 0, 1- or 2- (considering all donor atoms of the ligand to have an octet of valence electrons). The catalyst component is optionally combined with an activator, typically for the purpose of generating a highly active monocationic or dicationic polymerization catalyst, and the catalyst and/or catalyst components may be in solution, precipitated from solution, or optionally carried on a support.

This invention relates to transition metal complexes represented by the formula: ##STR00001##
catalyst systems comprising the complexes, and polymerization methods for olefinic monomers using the catalyst systems. In said formula, M is a transition metal; E is NR.sup.2, CR.sup.3R.sup.4, O, S, or SiR.sup.5R.sup.6; Q is optional substitution; p is an integer ranging from 0 to 3; L is an optional neutral ligand; m is an integer ranging from 0 to 3; X is an anionic leaving group; n is 1 or 2, with m+n being 4 or less; J is a linker group contributing two or three atoms that are located within a first chelate ring; R.sup.1 and R.sup.1′ are independently a hydrocarbyl group or a trihydrocarbylsilyl group; R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbyl group; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, or a trihydrocarbylsilyl group; and R.sup.5 and R.sup.5 are independently a hydrocarbyl group.

This invention relates to transition metal complexes represented by the formula: ##STR00001##
catalyst systems comprising the complexes, and polymerization methods for olefinic monomers using the catalyst systems. In said formula, M is a transition metal; E is NR.sup.2, CR.sup.3R.sup.4, O, S, or SiR.sup.5R.sup.6; Q is optional substitution; p is an integer ranging from 0 to 3; L is an optional neutral ligand; m is an integer ranging from 0 to 3; X is an anionic leaving group; n is 1 or 2, with m+n being 4 or less; J is a linker group contributing two or three atoms that are located within a first chelate ring; R.sup.1 and R.sup.1′ are independently a hydrocarbyl group or a trihydrocarbylsilyl group; R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbyl group; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, or a trihydrocarbylsilyl group; and R.sup.5 and R.sup.5 are independently a hydrocarbyl group.