A catalyst compound and process for olefin polymerization. The catalyst can be represented by Formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein: M is a transition metal selected from group 3, 4, or 5 of the Periodic Table of Elements; L is a linking group selected from any one or more difunctional C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl, aryl or substituted aryl groups; T is an optional bridging group; each X is a univalent anionic ligand, or two Xs are joined and bound to the metal atom to form a metallocycle ring, or two Xs are joined to form a chelating ligand, a diene ligand, or an alkylidene ligand; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl group; R.sup.3, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl group, and, optionally, any two of R.sup.5, R.sup.6, and R.sup.7 can be joined to form a cyclic structure; R.sup.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; and R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, and R.sup.11 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 hydrocarbyl group and, optionally, R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are joined to form a cyclic structure.

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.

A catalyst compound and process for olefin polymerization. The catalyst can be represented by Formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein: M is a transition metal selected from group 3, 4, or 5 of the Periodic Table of Elements; L is a linking group selected from any one or more difunctional C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl, aryl or substituted aryl groups; T is an optional bridging group; each X is a univalent anionic ligand, or two Xs are joined and bound to the metal atom to form a metallocycle ring, or two Xs are joined to form a chelating ligand, a diene ligand, or an alkylidene ligand; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl group; R.sup.3, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl group, and, optionally, any two of R.sup.5, R.sup.6, and R.sup.7 can be joined to form a cyclic structure; R.sup.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; and R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, and R.sup.11 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 hydrocarbyl group and, optionally, R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are joined to form a cyclic structure.

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 novel transition metal catalyst compounds comprising four oxygen atoms bonded to a transition metal where two of the oxygen groups are bonded to the metal by dative bonds and a silyl or germyl bridge, catalyst systems comprising such, and polymerization processes using such.

This invention relates to novel transition metal catalyst compounds comprising four oxygen atoms bonded to a transition metal where two of the oxygen groups are bonded to the metal by dative bonds and a silyl or germyl bridge, catalyst systems comprising such, and polymerization processes using such.