Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F210/00—Copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
  • C08F210/16—Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F10/00—Homopolymers and copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F4/00—Polymerisation catalysts
  • C08F4/42—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors
  • C08F4/44—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides
  • C08F4/60—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides together with refractory metals, iron group metals, platinum group metals, manganese, rhenium technetium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/62—Refractory metals or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/64—Titanium, zirconium, hafnium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/659—Component covered by group C08F4/64 containing a transition metal-carbon bond
  • C08F4/65908—Component covered by group C08F4/64 containing a transition metal-carbon bond in combination with an ionising compound other than alumoxane, e.g. (C6F5)4B-X+
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F4/00—Polymerisation catalysts
  • C08F4/42—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors
  • C08F4/44—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides
  • C08F4/60—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides together with refractory metals, iron group metals, platinum group metals, manganese, rhenium technetium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/62—Refractory metals or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/64—Titanium, zirconium, hafnium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/659—Component covered by group C08F4/64 containing a transition metal-carbon bond
  • C08F4/65912—Component covered by group C08F4/64 containing a transition metal-carbon bond in combination with an organoaluminium compound
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F4/00—Polymerisation catalysts
  • C08F4/42—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors
  • C08F4/44—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides
  • C08F4/60—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides together with refractory metals, iron group metals, platinum group metals, manganese, rhenium technetium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/62—Refractory metals or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/64—Titanium, zirconium, hafnium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/659—Component covered by group C08F4/64 containing a transition metal-carbon bond
  • C08F4/6592—Component covered by group C08F4/64 containing a transition metal-carbon bond containing at least one cyclopentadienyl ring, condensed or not, e.g. an indenyl or a fluorenyl ring

Definitions

• the present invention relates to supported catalysts suitable for the polymerisation of olefins and in particular to the preparation of supported polymerisation catalysts in particular metallocene catalysts providing advantages for operation in for example gas phase processes for the polymerisation of ethylene or the copolymerisation of ethylene and ⁇ -olefins having from 3 to 10 carbon atoms.
• Metallocene catalysts offer the advantage of generally a higher activity than traditional Ziegler catalysts and are usually described as catalysts which are single site in nature.
• metallocene complexes There have been developed several different families of metallocene complexes. In earlier years catalysts based on bis(cyclopentadienyl) metal complexes were developed, examples of which may be found in EP 129368 or EP 206794. More recently complexes having a single or mono cyclopentadienyl ring have been developed.
• complexes have been referred to as ‘constrained geometry’ complexes and examples of these complexes may be found in EP 416815 or EP 420-436. In both of these complexes the metal atom eg. zirconium is in the highest oxidation state.
• activators are aluminoxanes, in particular methyl aluminoxane or alternatively may be compounds based on boron compounds.
• borates such as trialkyl-substituted ammonium tetraphenyl- or tetrafluorophenyl-borates or triarylboranes such as tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane.
• Catalyst systems incorporating borate activators are described in EP 561479, EP 418044 and EP 551277.
• the above metallocene complexes may be used for the polymerisation of olefins in solution, slurry or gas phase.
• the metallocene complex and/or the activator are suitably supported.
• Typical supports include inorganic oxides eg. silica or polymeric supports may alternatively be used.
• the support material may be subjected to a heat treatment and/or chemical treatment to reduce the water content or the hydroxyl content of the support material.
• chemical dehydration agents are reactive metal hydrides, aluminium alkyls and halides.
• Support materials may also be treated with organic compounds in order to improve the particle distribution of the resultant polymerisation catalysts.
• organic compounds for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,213 describes silica which is treated sequentially with an aluminoxane as cocatalyst and an electron attractive group such as a phenol.
• pretreatment the support material is treated with the aforementioned compounds before impregnation of the other catalyst components ie. polymerisation catalyst and cocatalyst.
• porous support has been pretreated with (i) a chemical dehydration agent and (ii) a hydroxy compound wherein the hydroxy compound is not a cocatalyst or component thereof.
• the preferred molar ratio of hydroxy compound to chemical dehydration agent is ⁇ 2 and preferably in the range 0.001 to 0.2.
• Suitable porous support materials include inorganic metal oxides or alternatively polymeric supports may be used for example polyethylene, polypropylene, clays, zeolites, etc.
• Suitable inorganic metal oxides are SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , CaO, ZnO and mixtures thereof.
• the most preferred support material for use with the supported catalysts according to the method of the present invention is silica.
• Suitable silicas include Ineos ES70 and Grace Davison 948 silicas.
• chemical dehydration agents are reactive metal hydrides, aluminium alkyls and halides.
• the support material Prior to its use the support material may be subjected to treatment at 100° C. to 1000° C. and preferably at 200 to 850° C. in an inert atmosphere under reduced pressure.
• the porous supports are preferably pretreated with an organometallic compound preferably an organoaluminium compound and most preferably a trialkylaluminium compound in a dilute solvent.
• an organometallic compound preferably an organoaluminium compound and most preferably a trialkylaluminium compound in a dilute solvent.
• Preferred trialkylaluminium compounds are triethylaluminium or triisobutylaluminium.
• the support material is pretreated with the organometallic compound at a temperature of ⁇ 20° C. to 15° C. and preferably at 20° C. to 100° C.
• Preferred hydroxy compounds are alcohols for example ethanol. Most preferred hydroxy compounds are long chain alcohols.
• a particularly preferred alcohol is 10-undecen-1-ol.
• the polymerisation catalyst according to the present invention may suitably be any polymerisation catalyst used in conjunction with a porous support in the present of a suitable cocatalyst.
• the polymerisation catalyst may typically be a transition metal compound of Groups IIIA to IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements (IUPAC Version). Examples of such transition metal compounds are traditional Ziegler Natta, vanadium and Phillips-type catalysts well known in the art.
• the traditional Ziegler Natta catalysts include transition metal compounds from Groups IVA-VIA, in particular catalysts based on titanium compounds of formula MRx where M is titanium and R is halogen or a hydrocarbyloxy group and x is the oxidation state of the metal.
• Such conventional type catalysts include TiCl 4 , TiBr 4 , Ti(OEt) 3 Cl, Ti(OEt) 2 Br 2 and similar.
• Traditional Ziegler Natta catalysts are described in more detail in “Ziegler-Natta Catalysts and Polymerisation” by J. Boor, Academic Press, New York, 1979.
• Vanadium based catalysts include vanadyl halides eg. VCl 4 , and alkoxy halides and alkoxides such as VOCl 3 , VOCl 2 (OBu), VCl 3 (OBu) and similar.
• chromium catalyst compounds referred to as Phillips type catalysts include CrO 3 , chromocene, silyl chromate and similar and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,532, U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,565.
• transition metal compounds are those based on the late transition metals (LTM) of Group VIII for example compounds containing iron, nickel, manganese, ruthenium, cobalt or palladium metals. Examples of such compounds are described in WO 98/27124 and WO 99/12981 and may be illustrated by [2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(2,6-diisopropylanil)FeCl 2 ], 2,6-diacetylpyridinebis (2,4,6-trimethylanil) FeCl 2 and [2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(2,6-diisopropylanil)CoCl 2 ].
• LTM late transition metals
• catalysts include derivatives of Group IIIA, IVA or Lanthanide metals which are in the +2, +3 or +4 formal oxidation state.
• Preferred compounds include metal complexes containing from 1 to 3 anionic or neutral ligand groups which may be cyclic or non-cyclic delocalized 1-bonded anionic ligand groups. Examples of such 1-bonded anionic ligand groups are conjugated or non-conjugated, cyclic or non-cyclic dienyl groups, allyl groups, boratabenzene groups, phosphole and arene groups.
• ⁇ -bonded is meant that the ligand group is bonded to the metal by a sharing of electrons from a partially delocalised ⁇ -bond.
• Each atom in the delocalized ⁇ -bonded group may independently be substituted with a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydrocarbyl, halohydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyl, substituted metalloid radicals wherein the metalloid is selected from Group IVB of the Periodic Table. Included in the term “hydrocarbyl” are C1-C20 straight, branched and cyclic alkyl radicals, C6-C20 aromatic radicals, etc. In addition two or more such radicals may together form a fused ring system or they may form a metallocycle with the metal.
• anionic, delocalised ⁇ -bonded groups include cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, fluorenyl, tetrahydroindenyl, tetrahydrofluorenyl, octahydrofluorenyl, etc. as well as phospholes and boratabenzene groups.
• Phospholes are anionic ligands that are phosphorus containing analogues to the cyclopentadienyl groups. They are known in the art and described in WO 98/50392.
• the boratabenzenes are anionic ligands that are boron containing analogues to benzene. They are known in the art and are described in Organometallics, 14, 1, 471-480 (1995).
• the preferred polymerisation catalyst of the present invention is a bulky ligand compound also referred to as a metallocene complex containing at least one of the aforementioned delocalized ⁇ -bonded group, in particular cyclopentadienyl ligands.
• metallocene complexes are those based on Group IVA metals for example titanium, zirconium and hafnium.
• Suitable metallocene complexes are preferably those based on Group IVA metals for example titanium, zirconium and hafnium.
• Metallocene complexes may be represented by the general formula:
• L is a cyclopentadienyl ligand
• M is a Group IVA metal
• Q is a leaving group and x and n are dependent upon the oxidation state of the metal.
• the Group IVA metal is titanium, zirconium or hafnium, x is either 1 or 2 and typical leaving groups include halogen or hydrocarbyl.
• the cyclopentadienyl ligands may be substituted for example by alkyl or alkenyl groups or may comprise a fused ring system such as indenyl or fluorenyl.
• Such complexes may be unbridged eg. bis(cyclopentadienyl) zirconium dichloride, bis(pentamethyl)cyclopentadienyl dichloride, or may be bridged eg. ethylene bis(indenyl) zirconium dichloride or dimethylsilyl(indenyl) zirconium dichloride.
• bis(cyclopentadienyl) metallocene complexes are those bis(cyclopentadienyl) diene complexes described in WO 96/04290.
• Examples of such complexes are bis(cyclopentadienyl) zirconium (2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene) and ethylene bis(indenyl) zirconium 1,4-diphenyl butadiene.
• Cp is a single cyclopentadienyl or substituted cyclopentadienyl group optionally covalently bonded to M through a substituent
• M is a Group VIA metal bound in a ⁇ 5 bonding mode to the cyclopentadienyl or substituted cyclopentadienyl group
• X each occurrence is hydride or a moiety selected from the group consisting of halo, alkyl, aryl, aryloxy, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, amidoalkyl, siloxyalkyl etc. having up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms and neutral Lewis base ligands having up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms or optionally one X together with Cp forms a metallocycle with M and n is dependent upon the valency of the metal.
• Particularly preferred monocyclopentadienyl complexes have the formula:
• R′ each occurrence is independently selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, silyl, germyl, halo, cyano, and combinations thereof, said R′ having up to 20 nonhydrogen atoms, and optionally, two R′ groups (where R′ is not hydrogen, halo or cyano) together form a divalent derivative thereof connected to adjacent positions of the cyclopentadienyl ring to form a fused ring structure;
• X is hydride or a moiety selected from the group consisting of halo, alkyl, aryl, aryloxy, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, amidoalkyl, siloxyalkyl etc. having up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms and neutral Lewis base ligands having up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms,
• Y is —O—, —S—, —NR*—, —PR*—,
• M is hafnium, titanium or zirconium
• Z* is SiR* 2 , CR* 2 , SiR* 2 SIR* 2 , CR* 2 CR* 2 , CR* ⁇ CR*, CR* 2 SIR* 2 , or
• R* each occurrence is independently hydrogen, or a member selected from hydrocarbyl, silyl, halogenated alkyl, halogenated aryl, and combinations thereof, said
• R* having up to 10 non-hydrogen atoms, and optionally, two R* groups from Z* (when R* is not hydrogen), or an R* group from Z* and an R* group from Y form a ring system.
• n is 1 or 2 depending on the valence of M.
• Suitable monocyclopentadienyl complexes are (tert-butylamido) dimethyl (tetramethyl- ⁇ 5 -cyclopentadienyl) silanetitanium dichloride and (2-methoxyphenylamido) dimethyl (tetramethyl- ⁇ 5 cyclopentadienyl) silanetitanium dichloride.
• Suitable monocyclopentadienyl metallocene complexes are those comprising phosphinimine ligands described in WO 99/40125, WO 00/05237, WO 00/05238 and WO00/32653.
• a typical examples of such a complex is cyclopentadienyl titanium [tri (tertiary butyl) phosphinimine] dichloride.
• metallocene complexes for use in the preparation of the supported catalysts of the present invention may be represented by the general formula:
• R′ each occurrence is independently selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, silyl, germyl, halo, cyano, and combinations thereof, said R′ having up to 20 nonhydrogen atoms, and optionally, two R′ groups (where R′ is not hydrogen, halo or cyano) together form a divalent derivative thereof connected to adjacent positions of the cyclopentadienyl ring to form a fused ring structure;
• X is a neutral ⁇ 4 bonded diene group having up to 30 non-hydrogen atoms, which forms a ⁇ -complex with M;
• Y is —O—, —S—, —NR*—, —PR*—,
• M is titanium or zirconium in the +2 formal oxidation state
• Z* is SiR* 2 , CR* 2 , SiR* 2 SIR* 2 , CR* 2 CR* 2 , CR* ⁇ CR*, CR* 2 SIR* 2 , or
• R* each occurrence is independently hydrogen, or a member selected from hydrocarbyl, silyl, halogenated alkyl, halogenated aryl, and combinations thereof, said
• R* having up to 10 non-hydrogen atoms, and optionally, two R* groups from Z* (when R* is not hydrogen), or an R* group from Z* and an R* group from Y form a ring system.
• Suitable X groups include s-trans- ⁇ 4 -1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, s-trans- ⁇ 4 -3-methyl-1,3-pentadiene; s-trans- ⁇ 4 -2,4-hexadiene; s-trans- ⁇ 4 -1,3-pentadiene; s-trans- ⁇ 4 -1,4-ditolyl-1,3-butadiene; s-trans- ⁇ 4 -1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiene; s-cis- ⁇ 4 -3-methyl-1,3-pentadiene; s-cis- ⁇ 4 -1,4-dibenzyl-1,3-butadiene; s-cis- ⁇ 4 -1,3-pentadiene; s-cis- ⁇ 4 -1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiene, said s-cis diene group forming
• R′ is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, benzyl, or phenyl or 2 R′ groups (except hydrogen) are linked together, the entire C 5 R′ 4 group thereby being, for example, an indenyl, tetrahydroindenyl, fluorenyl, tetrahydrofluorenyl, or octahydrofluorenyl group.
• Highly preferred Y groups are nitrogen or phosphorus containing groups containing a group corresponding to the formula —N(R′′)— or —P(R′′)— wherein R′′ is C 1-10 hydrocarbyl.
• Most preferred complexes are amidosilane- or amidoalkanediyl complexes.
• a particularly preferred complex is (t-butylamido) (tetramethyl- ⁇ 5 -cyclopentadienyl) dimethyl silanetitanium- ⁇ 4 -1,3-pentadiene.
• Suitable cocatalysts for use in the present invention are those typically used with the aforementioned polymerisation catalysts.
• aluminoxanes such as methyl aluminoxane (MAO)
• boranes such as tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane and borates.
• Aluminoxanes are well known in the art and preferably comprise oligomeric linear and/or cyclic alkyl aluminoxanes.
• Aluminoxanes may be prepared in a number of ways and preferably are prepared by contacting water and a trialkylaluminium compound, for example trimethylaluminium, in a suitable organic medium such as benzene or an aliphatic hydrocarbon.
• a preferred aluminoxane is methyl aluminoxane (MAO).
• cocatalysts are organoboron compounds in particular triarylboron compounds.
• a particularly preferred triarylboron compound is tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane.
• Other compounds suitable as cocatalysts are compounds which comprise a cation and an anion.
• the cation is typically a Bronsted acid capable of donating a proton and the anion is typically a compatible non-coordinating bulky species capable of stabilizing the cation.
• Such cocatalysts may be represented by the formula:
• L* is a neutral Lewis base
• a d ⁇ is a non-coordinating compatible anion having a charge of d ⁇ , and
• d is an integer from 1 to 3.
• the cation of the ionic compound may be selected from the group consisting of acidic cations, carbonium cations, silylium cations, oxonium cations, organometallic cations and cationic oxidizing agents.
• Suitably preferred cations include trihydrocarbyl substituted ammonium cations eg. triethylammonium, tripropylammonium, tri(n-butyl)ammonium and similar. Also suitable are N,N-dialkylanilinium cations such as N,N-dimethylanilinium cations.
• the preferred ionic compounds used as cocatalysts are those wherein the cation of the ionic compound comprises a hydrocarbyl substituted ammonium salt and the anion comprises an aryl substituted borate.
• Typical borates suitable as ionic compounds include:
• a preferred type of cocatalyst suitable for use with the metallocene complexes of the present invention comprise ionic compounds comprising a cation and an anion wherein the anion has at least one substituent comprising a moiety having an active hydrogen.
• Particularly suitable are those cations having longer alkyl chains such as dihexyldecylmethylammonium, dioctadecylmethylammonium, ditetradecylmethylammonium, bis(hydrogentated tallow alkyl)methylammonium and similar.
• Particular preferred cocatalysts of this type are alkylammonium tris(pentafluorophenyl) 4-(hydroxyphenyl) borates.
• a particularly preferred cocatalyst is bis(hydrogenated tallow allyl)methyl ammonium tris (pentafluorophenyl) (4-hydroxyphenyl) borate.
• a preferred compound is the reaction product of an alkylammonium tris(pentafluorophenyl)-4-(hydroxyphenyl) borate and an organometallic compound, for example triethylaluminium or an aluminoxane.
• the supported polymerisation catalyst systems of the present invention may suitably be prepared by impregnation of the polymerisation catalyst and cocatalyst onto the pretreated porous support.
• the pretreated support is preferably treated with the cocatalyst followed by treatment with the polymerisation catalyst.
• the preferred polymerisation catalysts of the present invention are metallocene complexes.
• a supported polymerisation catalyst system comprising
• porous support has been pretreated with (i) a chemical dehydration agent and (ii) a hydroxy compound.
• the supported polymerisation catalyst system of the present invention may also comprise polymerisable monomers.
• Our earlier applications WO 04/020487 and WO 05/019275 describe supported catalyst compositions wherein a polymerisable monomer is used in the catalyst preparation.
• porous support has been pretreated with (i) a chemical dehydration agent and (ii) a hydroxy compound
• Polymerisable monomers suitable for use in this aspect of the present invention include ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, styrene, butadiene, and polar monomers for example vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, etc.
• Preferred monomers are those having 2 to 10 carbon atoms in particular ethylene, propylene, 1-butene or 1-hexene.
• ethylene/1-hexene ethylene/1-hexene
• the preferred polymerisable monomer for use in the present invention is 1-hexene.
• the polymerisable monomer is suitably used in liquid form or alternatively may be used in a suitable solvent.
• suitable solvents include for example heptane.
• the polymerisable monomer may be added to the cocatalyst before addition of the metallocene complex or alternatively may be premixed with the metallocene complex.
• the supported catalyst systems of the present invention are most suitable for operation in processes which typically employ supported polymerisation catalysts.
• the supported catalysts of the present invention may be suitable for the polymerisation of olefin monomers selected from (a) ethylene, (b) propylene (c) mixtures of ethylene and propylene and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) or (c) with one or more other ⁇ -olefins.
• olefin monomers selected from (a) ethylene, (b) propylene (c) mixtures of ethylene and propylene and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) or (c) with one or more other ⁇ -olefins.
• olefin monomers selected from (a) ethylene, (b) propylene (c) mixtures of ethylene and propylene and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) or (c) with one or more other ⁇ -olefins, said process performed in the presence of a supported polymerisation catalyst system as hereinbefore described.
• the supported systems of the present invention are however most suitable for use in slurry or gas phase processes.
• a slurry process typically uses an inert hydrocarbon diluent and temperatures from about 0° C. up to a temperature just below the temperature at which the resulting polymer becomes substantially soluble in the inert polymerisation medium.
• Suitable diluents include toluene or alkanes such as hexane, propane or isobutane.
• Preferred temperatures are from about 30° C. up to about 200° C. but preferably from about 60° C. to 100° C.
• Loop reactors are widely used in slurry polymerisation processes.
• Typical operating conditions for the gas phase are from 20° C. to 100° C. and most preferably from 40° C. to 85° C. with pressures from subatmospheric to 100 bar.
• Particularly preferred gas phase processes are those operating in a fluidised bed. Examples of such processes are described in EP 89691 and EP 699213 the latter being a particularly preferred process for use with the supported catalysts of the present invention.
• Particularly preferred polymerisation processes are those comprising the polymerisation of ethylene or the copolymerisation of ethylene and ⁇ -olefins having from 3 to 10 carbon atoms.
• the preferred ⁇ -olefins are 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and 1-octene.
• ⁇ -olefin is 1-hexene.
• the supported catalysts prepared according to the present invention may also be suitable for the preparation of other polymers for example polypropylene, polystyrene, etc.
• the method of the present invention has the advantage of providing a one-pot preparation and producing a good catalyst activity.
• the mixture was well agitated for 30 minutes to allow a good dispersion and was finally dried under vacuum to yield a green free flowing powder.
• the mixture was well agitated for 30 minutes to allow a good dispersion and was finally dried under vacuum to yield a green free flowing powder.
• This catalysts were tested for ethylene-1-hexene copolymerisation in an agitated dried phase reactor under the following conditions:
• a 2.5 l double jacketed thermostatic stainless steel autoclave was purged with nitrogen at 70° C. for at least one hour.
• 70 g of NaCl was used as the seed bed.
• 0.15 g of TEA treated silica 1.5 mmol TEA/g was added under pressure and allowed to scavenge impurities for at least 15 minutes under agitation.
• the gas phase was then composed (addition of ethylene, 1-hexene and hydrogen) and a mixture of supported catalyst (see below) and silica/TEA ( ⁇ 0.1 g) was injected.
• a constant pressure of ethylene and a constant pressure ratio of ethylene/co-monomer were maintained during the run.
• the run was terminated by venting the reactor and then purging the reactor 3 times with nitrogen.
• the PE powder produced during the run was then separated from the seed bed by simple sieving.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
• Addition Polymer Or Copolymer, Post-Treatments, Or Chemical Modifications (AREA)
• Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Related Parent Applications (1)

Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=35134184

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (14)

• 2005
  • 2005-06-09 EP EP05253565A patent/EP1731537A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2006
  • 2006-06-01 US US11/921,270 patent/US20090131614A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-06-01 WO PCT/GB2006/002005 patent/WO2006131703A2/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-06-01 EP EP06744062.8A patent/EP1891122B1/fr active Active
  • 2006-06-01 CN CN2006800202011A patent/CN101193922B/zh active Active
  • 2006-06-01 JP JP2008515276A patent/JP2008542515A/ja active Pending
• 2016
  • 2016-11-30 US US15/364,757 patent/US10364309B2/en active Active

Patent Citations (3)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events