GB1417391A - Process for the preparation of polymers of but-1-ene - Google Patents

Abstract

1417391 Continuous production of but-1-ene polymers ETHYLENE PLASTIQUE 11 Sept 1973 [14 Sept 1972] 42723/73 Heading C3P Homopolymers of but-1-ene or copolymers thereof containing up to 15 wt. per cent of units derived from at least one other α-olefin may be continuously produced by polymerization in the presence of a stereo-specific Ziegler- Natta catalyst and in a homogeneous reaction mixture, wherein monomer and catalyst are introduced into the reaction mixture in the form of a pre-reaction mixture of monomer, catalyst and poly-but-1-ene, said pre-reaction mixture having a viscosity of 0À2 to 50 poises at 50‹ C. The pre-reaction mixture may be formed by mixing but-1-ene monomer (optionally with another α-olefin, a suspension of the transition metal compound of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst in an inert solvent, the amount of solvent being less than 5 wt. per cent of the but-1-ene, and a solution of the organometallic compound of the Ziegler-Natta catalyst in but-1-ene, and prepolymerizing the mixture until the above viscosity is reached. The catalyst preferably comprises an organo aluminium compound and a titanium halogen compound such as TiCl 3 . In the examples, polybut- 1-ene is produced using TiCl 3 /diethyl aluminium chloride/hydrogen, dimethyl-hydrazine and methylcyclohexane as the reagents. The process may be carried out in apparatus (see the figure) which comprises a pre-reactor 4 where the pre-reaction occurs, and a main reactor vessel 1 with a stirrer 2 and feed lines 6 and 7.