WO2018160277A1 - Polymères de propylène ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert de vinyle et leurs procédés de production - Google Patents

Polymères de propylène ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert de vinyle et leurs procédés de production Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2018160277A1
WO2018160277A1 PCT/US2018/013514 US2018013514W WO2018160277A1 WO 2018160277 A1 WO2018160277 A1 WO 2018160277A1 US 2018013514 W US2018013514 W US 2018013514W WO 2018160277 A1 WO2018160277 A1 WO 2018160277A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
group
aluminum
propylene
ring
less
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2018/013514
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jo Ann M. Canich
Rhutesh K. SHAH
John R. Hagadorn
Peijun Jiang
Original Assignee
Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc. filed Critical Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
Publication of WO2018160277A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018160277A1/fr

Links

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
    • C08F210/00—Copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
    • C08F210/04—Monomers containing three or four carbon atoms
    • C08F210/06—Propene
    • 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
    • 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+

Definitions

  • This invention relates to PCT/US2016/046402, filed August 10, 2016 which claims priority to USSN 62/212,405, filed August 31, 2015.
  • This application also relates to USSN 62/332,940, filed May 6, 2016; USSN 62/332,921, filed May 6, 2016; and USSN 62/357033, filed June 30, 2016.
  • This invention relates to the use of pyridyldiamido and/or quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes and catalyst systems with an activator and a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, such as an aluminum vinyl-transfer agent (A VTA), to produce branched propylene polymers.
  • a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent such as an aluminum vinyl-transfer agent (A VTA)
  • Macromolecules 2002, 35, 6760-6762 discloses propene polymerization with tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, 7-octenyldiisobutylaluminum, and racMe2Si(2-Me- indenyl)2ZrCl2 or Ph2C(cyclopentadienyl)(fluorenyl)ZrCl2 to produce polypropylene with octenyldiisobutylaluminum incorporated as a comonomer.
  • JP 2004-83773-A describes the preparation of polypropylene in the presence of trialkenylaluminum using metallocene and Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
  • Macromolecules 1995, 28, 437-443 describes the formation of isotactic polypropylene containing vinyl end groups by the Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polymerization of propylene in the presence of dialkenylzincs.
  • Macromolecules 2002, 35, 3838-3843 describes the formation of long-chain branched polypropylene via the insertion of in situ formed vinyl-terminated polypropylene into growing polymer chains.
  • Macromolecules 2002, 35, 9586-9594 describes the formation of long-chain branched copolymers of ethylene and alpha olefins via the insertion of in situ formed vinyl- terminated polymer into growing polymer chains.
  • EP 2436703 Al describes the production of comb architecture branch block copolymers in a process that uses dual catalysts and a zinc -based polymerizable chain shuttling agent.
  • WO 2007/035492 describes the production of long-chain branched and branch block copolymers by polymerization of alkene monomers in the presence of a zinc-based polymerizable shuttling agent.
  • WO 2016/102690 discloses a process for preparation of a branched polyolefin using a metal hydrocarbyl transfer agent.
  • references of interest also include: 1) Vaughan, A; Davis, D. S.; Hagadorn, J. R. in Comprehensive Polymer Science, Vol. 3, Chapter 20, "Industrial catalysts for alkene polymerization”; 2) Gibson, V. C; Spitzmesser, S. K. Chem. Rev. 2003, 103, 283; and 3) Britovsek, G. J. P.; Gibson, V. C; Wass, D. F. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.
  • This invention relates to processes to produce branched propylene copolymers comprising:
  • a catalyst system comprising an activator, a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (such as an aluminum vinyl transfer agent), and one or more single site catalyst complexes, such as pyridyldiamido or quinolinyldiamido complexes represented by the Formula I or II;
  • M is a Group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal
  • E is chosen from C(R 2 ) or C(R 3 )(R 3' );
  • X is an anionic leaving group
  • L is a neutral Lewis base
  • R 1 and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups;
  • R 2 is a group containing 1-10 carbon atoms that is optionally joined with R 4 to form an aromatic ring;
  • R 3 , R 3' , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, substituted hydrocarbyls, halogen, and phosphino;
  • J is a divalent group that forms a three-atom- length bridge between the pyridine ring and the amido nitrogen;
  • n 1 or 2;
  • n 0, 1, or 2;
  • two X groups may be joined together to form a dianionic group
  • an X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group
  • R 3 , R 3' , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 may be joined to form a ring;
  • branched propylene copolymers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene, from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene, from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer, and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, wherein said branched propylene copolymer: a) has a g' V i S of less than 0.97; b) is essentially gel free (such as 5 wt% or less of xylene insoluble material); c) has an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more; and d) has a Mw/Mn of less than 4.0.
  • a VTA aluminum vinyl transfer agents
  • each R' independently, is a C1-C30 hydrocarbyl group; each R", independently, is a C4-C20 hydrocarbenyl group having an end-vinyl group; and v is from 0.1 to 3.
  • This invention further relates to novel branched propylene copolymers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene, from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene, from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer, and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, wherein said branched propylene copolymer: a) has a g' V i S of less than 0.97; b) is essentially gel free (such as 5 wt% or less of xylene insoluble material); c) has an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more; and d) has a Mw/Mn of less than 4.0.
  • the Figure is a drawing of the reaction of ⁇ 3 ⁇ 4 ⁇ and 1,7 octadiene at various conditions.
  • Compounds 1 and 2 represent average compositions as hydrocarbyl and hydrocarbenyl groups may exchange between Al centers.
  • Triene product 3 may be a mixture of similar molecules containing a vinylidene group.
  • This invention relates processes to produce propylene copolymers using transition metal complexes and catalyst systems that include the transition metal complexes.
  • the term complex is used to describe molecules in which an ancillary ligand is coordinated to a central transition metal atom.
  • the ligand is bulky and stably bonded to the transition metal so as to maintain its influence during use of the catalyst, such as polymerization.
  • the ligand may be coordinated to the transition metal by covalent bond and/or electron donation coordination or intermediate bonds.
  • the transition metal complexes are generally subjected to activation to perform their polymerization or oligomerization function using an activator which is believed to create a cation as a result of the removal of an anionic group, often referred to as a leaving group, from the transition metal.
  • Catalyst productivity is a measure of how many grams of polymer (P) are produced using a polymerization catalyst comprising W g of catalyst (cat), over a period of time of T hours; and may be expressed by the following formula: P/(T x W) and expressed in units of gPgcat- ! hr 1 . Conversion is the amount of monomer that is converted to polymer product, and is reported as mol% and is calculated based on the polymer yield and the amount of monomer fed into the reactor. Catalyst activity is a measure of how active the catalyst is and is reported as the mass of product polymer (P) produced per mole of catalyst (cat) used (kgP/molcat).
  • an "olefin,” alternatively referred to as “alkene,” is a linear, branched, or cyclic compound of carbon and hydrogen having at least one double bond.
  • alkene is a linear, branched, or cyclic compound of carbon and hydrogen having at least one double bond.
  • a copolymer when a copolymer is said to have an "ethylene" content of 35 wt% to 55 wt%, it is understood that the mer unit in the copolymer is derived from ethylene in the polymerization reaction and said derived units are present at 35 wt% to 55 wt%, based upon the weight of the copolymer.
  • a "polymer” has two or more of the same or different mer units.
  • a “homopolymer” is a polymer having mer units that are the same.
  • a “copolymer” is a polymer having two or more mer units that are different from each other.
  • a “terpolymer” is a polymer having three mer units that are different from each other.
  • oligomer is typically a polymer having a low molecular weight, such as an Mn of less than 25,000 g/mol, or in an embodiment less than 2,500 g/mol, or a low number of mer units, such as 75 mer units or less or 50 mer units or less.
  • ethylene polymer or "ethylene copolymer” is a polymer or copolymer comprising at least 50 mol% ethylene derived units
  • a "propylene polymer” or “propylene copolymer” is a polymer or copolymer comprising at least 50 mol% propylene derived units, and so on, except that, for the purposes of this invention and the claims thereto, the branched propylene copolymers described herein are defined as propylene copolymers even though they have 30 mol% or more propylene for ease of reference.
  • ethylene shall be considered an a-olefin.
  • the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent present in such polymer or copolymer is the polymerized portion of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, also referred to as the remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent.
  • the remnant of a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent is defined to be the portion of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent containing an allyl chain end that becomes incorporated into the polymer backbone.
  • substituted means that a hydrogen group has been replaced with a heteroatom, or a heteroatom-containing group.
  • a “substituted hydrocarbyl” is a radical made of carbon and hydrogen where at least one hydrogen is replaced by a heteroatom or heteroatom-containing group.
  • a metallocene catalyst is defined as an organometallic compound with at least one ⁇ -bound cyclopentadienyl moiety (or substituted cyclopentadienyl moiety) and more frequently two ⁇ -bound cyclopentadienyl moieties or substituted cyclopentadienyl moieties.
  • M n is number average molecular weight
  • M w is weight average molecular weight
  • M z is z average molecular weight
  • wt% is weight percent
  • mol% is mole percent.
  • Molecular weight distribution also referred to as polydispersity index (PDI)
  • PDI polydispersity index
  • dme is 1,2-dimethoxy ethane
  • Me is methyl
  • Ph is phenyl
  • Et is ethyl
  • Pr is propyl
  • iPr is isopropyl
  • n-Pr is normal propyl
  • Bu is butyl
  • cPR is cyclopropyl
  • iBu is isobutyl
  • tBu is tertiary butyl
  • p-tBu is para-tertiary butyl
  • nBu is normal butyl
  • sBu is sec -butyl
  • TMS is trimethylsilyl
  • TIBAL is triisobutylaluminum
  • TNOAL is tri(n-octyl)aluminum
  • MAO is methylalumoxane
  • p-Me is para-methyl
  • Ph is phenyl
  • Bn is benzyl (i.e., CfbPh)
  • THF
  • a “catalyst system” comprises at least one catalyst compound and at least one activator.
  • Catalyst system means the unactivated catalyst complex (pre-catalyst) together with an activator and, optionally, a co-activator.
  • combination after activation it means the activated complex and the activator or other charge-balancing moiety.
  • the transition metal compound may be neutral as in a pre-catalyst, or a charged species with a counter ion as in an activated catalyst system.
  • catalyst systems are described as comprising neutral stable forms of the components, it is well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, that the ionic form of the component is the form that reacts with the monomers to produce polymers.
  • the catalyst may be described as a catalyst precursor, pre-catalyst compound, catalyst compound, transition metal complex, or transition metal compound, and these terms are used interchangeably.
  • a polymerization catalyst system is a catalyst system that can polymerize monomers to polymer.
  • An "anionic ligand” is a negatively charged ligand which donates one or more pairs of electrons to a metal ion.
  • a "neutral donor ligand” is a neutrally charged ligand which donates one or more pairs of electrons to a metal ion.
  • Activator and cocatalyst are also used interchangeably.
  • a scavenger is a compound that is typically added to facilitate polymerization by scavenging impurities. Some scavengers may also act as activators and may be referred to as co-activators. A co-activator, that is not a scavenger, may also be used in conjunction with an activator in order to form an active catalyst. In some embodiments a co-activator can be pre-mixed with the transition metal compound to form an alkylated transition metal compound.
  • Non-coordinating anion is defined to mean an anion either that does not coordinate to the catalyst metal cation or that does coordinate to the metal cation, but only weakly.
  • NCA is also defined to include multicomponent NCA-containing activators, such as ⁇ , ⁇ -dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, that contain an acidic cationic group and the non-coordinating anion.
  • NCA is also defined to include neutral Lewis acids, such as tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron, that can react with a catalyst to form an activated species by abstraction of an anionic group.
  • NCA coordinates weakly enough that a neutral Lewis base, such as an olefinically or acetylenically unsaturated monomer can displace it from the catalyst center.
  • a neutral Lewis base such as an olefinically or acetylenically unsaturated monomer can displace it from the catalyst center.
  • Any metal or metalloid that can form a compatible, weakly coordinating complex may be used or contained in the noncoordinating anion. Suitable metals include, but are not limited to, aluminum, gold, and platinum. Suitable metalloids include, but are not limited to, boron, aluminum, phosphorus, and silicon.
  • Activators containing non-coordinating anions can also be referred to as stoichiometric activators.
  • a stoichiometric activator can be either neutral or ionic.
  • the terms ionic activator and stoichiometric ionic activator can be used interchangeably.
  • neutral stoichiometric activator and Lewis acid activator can be used interchangeably.
  • non- coordinating anion activator includes neutral stoichiometric activators, ionic stoichiometric activators, ionic activators, and Lewis acid activators.
  • substituted means that a hydrogen group has been replaced with a hydrocarbyl group, a heteroatom, or a heteroatom-containing group.
  • methyl cyclopentadiene (Cp) is a Cp group substituted with a methyl group.
  • alkoxides include those where the alkyl group is a ⁇ to ⁇ Q hydrocarbyl.
  • the alkyl group may be straight chain, branched, or cyclic.
  • the alkyl group may be saturated or unsaturated.
  • the alkyl group may comprise at least one aromatic group.
  • hydrocarbyl radical is defined to be Cl-ClOO radicals, that may be linear, branched, or cyclic, and when cyclic, aromatic or non-aromatic.
  • radicals include, but are not limited to, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, iso-amyl, hexyl, octyl cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cyclooctyl, and the like including their substituted analogues.
  • Substituted hydrocarbyl radicals are radicals in which at least one hydrogen atom of the hydrocarbyl radical has been substituted with at least one halogen (such as Br, CI, F or I) or at least one functional group such as NR* 2 , OR*, SeR*, TeR*, PR* 2 , AsR* 2 , SbR* 2 , SR*, BR* 2 , SiR* 3 , GeR*3, SnR*3, PbR*3, and the like, or where at least one heteroatom has been inserted within a hydrocarbyl ring.
  • at least one hydrogen atom of the hydrocarbyl radical has been substituted with at least one halogen (such as Br, CI, F or I) or at least one functional group such as NR* 2 , OR*, SeR*, TeR*, PR* 2 , AsR* 2 , SbR* 2 , SR*, BR* 2 , SiR* 3 , GeR*3, SnR
  • alkenyl or "hydrocarbenyl” means a straight-chain, branched-chain, or cyclic hydrocarbon radical having one or more double bonds that are not part of an aromatic ring. These alkenyl radicals may, optionally, be substituted. Examples of alkenyl radicals include, but are not limited to, ethenyl, propenyl, allyl, 1 ,4-butadienyl cyclopropenyl, cyclobutenyl, cyclopentenyl, cyclohexenyl, cycloctenyl, and the like, including their substituted analogues.
  • alkoxy or "alkoxide” means an alkyl ether or aryl ether radical wherein the term alkyl is as defined above.
  • suitable alkyl ether radicals include, but are not limited to, methoxy, ethoxy, n-propoxy, iso-propoxy, n-butoxy, iso-butoxy, sec- butoxy, tert-butoxy, phenoxyl, and the like.
  • aryl or "aryl group” means a six carbon aromatic ring and the substituted variants thereof, including but not limited to, phenyl, 2-methyl-phenyl, xylyl, 4- bromo-xylyl.
  • heteroaryl means an aryl group where a ring carbon atom (or two or three ring carbon atoms) has been replaced with a heteroatom, preferably N, O, or S.
  • aromatic also refers to pseudoaromatic heterocycles which are heterocyclic substituents that have similar properties and structures (nearly planar) to aromatic heterocyclic ligands, but are not by definition aromatic; likewise the term aromatic also refers to substituted aromatics.
  • isomers of a named alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxide, or aryl group exist (e.g., n- butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl) reference to one member of the group (e.g., n- butyl) shall expressly disclose the remaining isomers (e.g., iso-butyl, sec-butyl, and tert- butyl) in the family.
  • alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxide, or aryl group without specifying a particular isomer (e.g., butyl) expressly discloses all isomers (e.g., n-butyl, iso- butyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl).
  • ring atom means an atom that is part of a cyclic ring structure.
  • a benzyl group has six ring atoms and tetrahydrofuran has 5 ring atoms.
  • a heterocyclic ring is a ring having a heteroatom in the ring structure as opposed to a heteroatom substituted ring where a hydrogen on a ring atom is replaced with a heteroatom.
  • tetrahydrofuran is a heterocyclic ring and 4-N,N-dimethylamino- phenyl is a heteroatom substituted ring.
  • continuous means a system that operates without interruption or cessation.
  • a continuous process to produce a polymer would be one where the reactants are continually introduced into one or more reactors and polymer product is continually withdrawn.
  • a solution polymerization means a polymerization process in which the polymer is dissolved in a liquid polymerization medium, such as an inert solvent or monomer(s) or their blends.
  • a solution polymerization is typically homogeneous.
  • a homogeneous polymerization is one where the polymer product is dissolved in the polymerization medium.
  • Such systems are preferably not turbid as described in J. Vladimir Oliveira, C. Dariva and J. C. Pinto, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 29, 2000, 4627.
  • a bulk polymerization means a polymerization process in which the monomers and/or comonomers being polymerized are used as a solvent or diluent using little or no inert solvent as a solvent or diluent.
  • a small fraction of inert solvent might be used as a carrier for catalyst and scavenger.
  • a bulk polymerization system contains less than 25 wt% of inert solvent or diluent, preferably less than 10 wt%, preferably less than 1 wt%, preferably 0 wt%.
  • This invention relates to processes to produce branched propylene copolymers comprising: 1) contacting monomer comprising propylene, ethylene and optional diene with a catalyst system comprising an activator (such as an alumoxane or non-coordinating anion activator), a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably an aluminum vinyl transfer agent), and one or more single site catalyst complexes, such as a pyridyldiamido or quinolinyldiamido complex represented by the Formula I or II:
  • a catalyst system comprising an activator (such as an alumoxane or non-coordinating anion activator), a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably an aluminum vinyl transfer agent), and one or more single site catalyst complexes, such as a pyridyldiamido or quinolinyldiamido complex represented by the Formula I or II:
  • M is a Group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal (preferably M is Zr or Hf);
  • E is chosen from C(R 2 ) or C(R 3 )(R 3' );
  • X is an anionic leaving group (preferably X is methyl, chloride, or dialkylamido);
  • L is a neutral Lewis base (preferably L is ether, amine, phosphine, or thioether);
  • R 1 and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups (preferably R 1 & R 13 are aryl groups, preferably R 1 is 2,6- disubstituted aryl, preferably R 1 is 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, preferably R 13 is 2-substituted aryl, preferably R 13 is phenyl, preferably R 1 is 2,6-disubstituted aryl group and R 13 is an aryl group lacking substitution in the 2 and 6 positions);
  • R 2 is a group containing 1-10 carbon atoms that is optionally joined with R 4 to form an aromatic ring (preferably R 2 & R 4 are joined with the joined R 2 R 4 group being CHCHCH);
  • R 3 , R 3' , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, substituted hydrocarbyls, halogen, and phosphino (preferably R 3 & R 3' are hydrogen);
  • J is a divalent group that forms a three-atom- length bridge between the pyridine ring and the amido nitro
  • n 1 or 2;
  • n 0, 1, or 2; and two X groups may be joined together to form a dianionic group;
  • an X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group
  • R 3 , R 3' , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 may be joined to form a ring (preferably R 7 & R 8 are joined to form an aromatic ring, preferably R 7 & R 8 are joined with the joined R 7 R 8 group being CHCHCHCH, preferably R 10 & R 11 are joined to form a five- or six-membered ring, preferably R 10 & R 11 are joined, with the joined RIORI I g rou p eiri g CH 2 CH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 );
  • metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent is represented by the formula:
  • each R' independently, is a C x to C 30 hydrocarbyl group; each R", independently, is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbenyl group having an allyl chain end; E is a group 16 element (such as O or S); v is from 0.01 to 3 (such as 1 or 2), and y is from 0.01 to 2, such as 1 or 2 (preferably the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent is an aluminum vinyl-transfer agent (A VTA) represented by the formula: Al(R')3- v (R)v with R defined as a hydrocarbenyl group containing 4 to 20 carbon atoms and featuring an allyl chain end, R' defined as a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and v is 0.1 to 3 (such as 1 or 2)); and
  • branched propylene copolymers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene, from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene, from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer, and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, wherein said branched propylene copolymer: a) has a g' V i S of less than 0.97; b) is essentially gel free (such as 5 wt% or less of xylene insoluble material); c) has an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more; and d) has a Mw/Mn of less than 4.0.
  • the catalyst/activator combinations are formed by combining the transition metal complex with activators in any manner known from the literature, including by supporting them for use in slurry or gas phase polymerization.
  • the catalyst/activator combinations may also be added to or generated in solution polymerization or bulk polymerization (in the monomer).
  • the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent preferably an aluminum vinyl transfer agent
  • the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent may be added to the catalyst and or activator before, during or after the activation of the catalyst complex or before or during polymerization.
  • the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent preferably the aluminum vinyl-transfer agent
  • the polymer produced from the polymerization using the catalyst systems described herein preferably contains at least 0.05 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, 0.1 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.2 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.3 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.4 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.5 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.6 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.7 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.8 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 0.8 allyl chain ends per polymer chain, at least 1.0 allyl chain ends per polymer chain.
  • Propylene copolymers are particularly preferred products.
  • the resulting polymer may contain long chain branches formed by the insertion of an allyl terminated polymer chain formed in situ (also referred to as a "vinyl- terminated macromonomer") into the growing polymer chains.
  • Process conditions including residence time, the ratio of monomer to polymer in the reactor, and the ratio of transfer agent to polymer will affect the amount of long chain branching in the polymer, the average length of branches, and the type of branching observed.
  • branching types may be formed, which include comb architectures and branch on branch structures similar to those found in low-density polyethylene.
  • the combination of chain growth and vinyl-group insertion may lead to polymer with a branched structure and having one or fewer vinyl unsaturations per polymer molecule.
  • the absence of significant quantities of individual polymer molecules containing greater than one vinyl unsaturation prevents or reduces the formation of unwanted crosslinked polymers.
  • Polymers having long chain branching typically have a g'vis of 0.97 or less, alternately 0.95 or less, alternately 0.90 or less, alternately 0.85 or less, alternately 0.80 or less, alternately 0.75 or less, alternately 0.70 or less, alternately 0.60 or less.
  • the catalyst chosen is poor at incorporating comonomers such as C2 to C20 alpha olefins, then the polymer obtained is largely linear (little or no long chain branching).
  • process conditions including the ratio of transfer agent to polymer will affect the molecular weight of the polymer.
  • Polymers having little or no long chain branching typically have a g'vis of more than 0.97, alternately 0.98 or more.
  • Alkene polymerizations and co-polymerizations using one or more transfer agents, such as an AVTA, with two or more catalysts are also of potential use. Desirable products that may be accessed with this approach includes polymers that have branch block structures and/or high levels of long-chain branching.
  • the transfer agent to catalyst complex equivalence ratio can be from about 1:100 to 500,000:1.
  • the molar ratio of transfer agent to catalyst complex is greater than one.
  • the molar ratio of transfer agent to catalyst complex is greater than 30:1.
  • the transfer agent is an aluminum vinyl transfer agent (AVTA) and the AVTA to catalyst complex equivalence ratio can be from about 1: 100 to 500,000: 1.
  • the molar ratio of AVTA to catalyst complex is greater than one. More preferred the molar ratio of AVTA to catalyst complex is greater than 30: 1.
  • the AVTA can also be used in combination with other chain transfer agents that are typically used as scavengers, such as trialkylaluminum compounds (where the alkyl groups are selected from C l to C 20 alkyl groups, preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, or an isomer thereof).
  • the ATVA can be used in combination with a trialkyl aluminum compound such as tri-n- octylaluminum and triisobutylaluminum.
  • the ATVA can also be used in combination with a dialkyl zinc compound, such as diethylzinc, dimethylzinc, or dipropylzinc.
  • the transfer agent can also be used in combination with oxygen-containing organoaluminums such as bis(diisobutylaluminum)oxide, MMAO-3A, and other alumoxanes. Certain of these oxygen-containing organoaluminums are expected to serve as scavengers while remaining significantly less prone to hydrocarbyl group chain-transfer than typical organoaluminums, such as trimethylaluminum or tri(n-octyl)aluminum.
  • oxygen-containing organoaluminums such as bis(diisobutylaluminum)oxide, MMAO-3A, and other alumoxanes.
  • Z is a group from the reaction with the electrophile
  • n is an integer, such as from 1 to 1,000,000, alternately from 2 to 50,000, alternately from 10 to 25,000.
  • quenching with oxygen yields a polymer functionalized at one end with a hydroxy group and at the other end with a vinyl group.
  • Quenching with bromine yields a polymer functionalized at one end with a Br group and at the other end with a vinyl group.
  • Functional group terminated polymers can also be produced using functional group transfer agents (FGTA).
  • FGTA functional group transfer agents
  • the FGTA is represented by the formula M FGTA (R')3-v(FG) v , with R' and v defined as above, M FGTA a Group 13 element (such as B or Al), and with FG defined as a group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and a functional group Z.
  • M FGTA R')3-v(FG) v
  • M FGTA a Group 13 element (such as B or Al)
  • FG defined as a group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and a functional group Z.
  • the choice of FG is such that it is compatible with the catalyst system being used.
  • Preferred Z groups include, but are not limited to, non-vinyl olefinic groups such as vinylidene, vinylene or trisubstitued olefins, cyclics containing unsaturation such as cyclohexene, cyclooctene, vinyl cyclohexene, aromatics, ethers, and metal-capped alkoxides.
  • non-vinyl olefinic groups such as vinylidene, vinylene or trisubstitued olefins
  • cyclics containing unsaturation such as cyclohexene, cyclooctene, vinyl cyclohexene, aromatics, ethers, and metal-capped alkoxides.
  • the polymer products of this invention are of the formula: where n is from 2 to 18, preferably from 6 to 14, more preferably 6, and where "polymer" is the attached polymeryl chain.
  • Polymers of this formula are particularly well suited in making branch polymer combs.
  • the polymer combs can be made by any number of methods. One method would be to use a catalyst system to make the vinyl terminated polymer, and then use a second catalyst system to incorporate the vinyl terminated polymer into a polymer backbone made from the second catalyst. This can be done sequentially in one reactor by first making the vinyl terminated polymer and then adding a second catalyst and, optionally, different monomer feeds in the same reactor.
  • the vinyl terminated polymer can be a soft material, as in an ethylene propylene copolymer (such as ethylene propylene copolymer rubber), low density polyethylene, or a polypropylene, or a harder material, as in an isotactic polypropylene, high density polyethylene, or other polyethylene.
  • an ethylene propylene copolymer such as ethylene propylene copolymer rubber
  • low density polyethylene or a polypropylene
  • a harder material as in an isotactic polypropylene, high density polyethylene, or other polyethylene.
  • the vinyl terminated polymer is soft, it is useful if the polymer backbone of the comb is hard; if the vinyl terminated polymer is hard, it is useful the polymer backbone of the comb is soft, however any combination of polymer structures and types can be used.
  • the vinyl-terminated polymers (VTPs) of this invention are of formula: where n is from 2 to 18, preferably from 6 to 14, more preferably 6, and where "polymer” is the attached polymeryl chain.
  • VTPs of this formula are particularly well suited in making branch block polymers.
  • the branch block polymers can be made by any number of methods. One method involves using the same catalyst that is used to make the VTP, and then changing polymerization conditions (such as, but not limited to, by changing monomer composition and/or type and/or the amount or presence of AVTA) in the same or different reactor (such as two or more reactors in series). In this case, the branch will have a different polymeric composition vs.
  • Another method would be to use a catalyst system to make the VTP, then use a second catalyst system to incorporate the VTPs into a polymer backbone made from the second catalyst. This can be done sequentially in one reactor by first making the VTP and then adding a second catalyst and, optionally, different monomer feeds in the same reactor. Alternatively, two reactors in series can be used where the first reactor is used to make the VTP which flows into a second reactor in series having the second catalyst and, optionally, different monomer feeds.
  • the branched block polymers can be of any composition, however, typically a combination of soft and hard polymers (relative to one another) are preferred.
  • an iPP VTP could be produced in a reactor, and then ethylene added to the existing propylene feed to make a rubber EP that would have iPP branches.
  • an iPP VTP could be produced in a first reactor, and then sent to a second reactor containing ethylene (or additional ethylene for a propylene ethylene copolymer and, optionally, additional propylene monomer (and the same or different catalyst) to make a rubber EP that would have iPP branches (or propylene ethylene copolymer branches).
  • Useful metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agents are typically present at from 10 or 20 or 50 or 100 equivalents to 600 or 700 or 800 or 1000 equivalents relative to the catalyst complex. Alternately, the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agents are present at a catalyst complex-to-transfer agent molar ratio of from about 1:3000 to 10: 1 ; alternatively 1 :2000 to 10: 1 ; alternatively 1 : 1000 to 10: 1; alternatively, 1:500 to 1 : 1; alternatively 1:300 to 1 : 1; alternatively 1:200 to 1 : 1 ; alternatively 1: 100 to 1: 1; alternatively 1 :50 to 1 : 1 ; alternatively 1 : 10 to 1 : 1.
  • the aluminum vinyl transfer agent is present at a catalyst complex-to-aluminum vinyl transfer agent molar ratio of from about 1:3000 to 10: 1 ; alternatively 1:2000 to 10: 1 ; alternatively 1 : 1000 to 10: 1; alternatively, 1 :500 to 1: 1 ; alternatively 1 :300 to 1 : 1; alternatively 1:200 to 1: 1; alternatively 1 : 100 to 1 : 1 ; alternatively 1:50 to 1: 1 ; alternatively 1 : 10 to 1 : 1, alternately from 1: 1000 or more.
  • Transition metal complexes useful herein are certain "non-metallocene” olefin polymization catalysts that undergo alkyl group transfer with the AVTA at a rate that is much higher than the rate at which they undergo typical termination processes, such as beta hydride elimination or chain-transfer to monomer.
  • non-metallocene catalyst also known as “post-metallocene catalyst” describe transition metal complexes that do not feature any pi- coordinated cyclopentadienyl anion donors (or the like) and are useful the polymerization of olefins when combined with common activators.
  • Particularly useful single site catalyst complexes include pyridyldiamido and quinolinyldiamido complexes represented by the Formulae I and II:
  • M is a Group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal (preferably M is Zr or Hf);
  • E is chosen from C(R 2 ) or C(R 3 )(R 3' );
  • X is an anionic leaving group (preferably X is methyl, chloride, or dialkylamido);
  • L is a neutral Lewis base (preferably L is ether, amine, phosphine, or thioether);
  • R 1 and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups (preferably R 1 & R 13 are aryl groups, preferably R 1 is 2,6- disubstituted aryl, preferably R 1 is 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, preferably R 13 is 2-substituted aryl, preferably R 13 is phenyl, preferably R 1 is 2,6-disubstituted aryl group and R 13 is an aryl group lacking substitution in the 2 and 6 positions);
  • R 2 is a group containing 1-10 carbon atoms that is optionally joined with R 4 to form an aromatic ring (preferably R 2 & R 4 are joined, preferably with the joined R 2 R 4 group being CHCHCH);
  • R 3 , R 3' , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, substituted hydrocarbyls, halogen, and phosphino (preferably R 3 & R 3 are hydrogen);
  • J is a divalent group that forms a three-atom- length bridge between the pyridine ring and the
  • n 1 or 2;
  • n 0, 1, or 2;
  • two X groups may be joined together to form a dianionic group
  • an X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group; and adjacent groups from the following R 3 , R 3' , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 may be joined to form a ring (preferably R 7 & R 8 are joined to form an aromatic ring, preferably R 7 & R 8 are joined with the joined R 7 R 8 group being CHCHCHCH, preferably R 10 & R 11 are joined to form a five- or six-membered ring, preferably R 10 & R 11 are joined with the joined R ⁇ R 11 group being CH 2 CH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 ).
  • R 4 and E form a substituted or unsubstituted six- membered aromatic ring.
  • useful catalyst compounds include those represented by the formula (6):
  • M is a group 4 metal, preferably hafnium; (2) N is nitrogen; (3) L 7 is a group that links R 50 to Z' by a three atom bridge with the central of the three atoms being a group 15 or 16 element that preferably forms a dative bond to M, and is a C 5 -C 2 o heteroaryl group containing a Lewis base functionality, especially a divalent pyridinyl, substituted pyridinyl, quinolinyl, or substituted quinolinyl group; (4) Z' is a divalent linker group, (R 56 ) p C-C(R 57 ) q , where R 56 and R 57 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and wherein adjacent R 56 and R 57 groups may be joined to form an aromatic or saturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, wherein the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring carbon atoms and
  • useful catalyst compounds include pyridyl diamide metal complexes re resented by the following Formula (6a):
  • R 61 , R 62 , R 63 , R 64 , R 65 , R 66 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, amino, and silyl, and wherein any one or more adjacent R 60 -R 66 may be joined to form a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic ring, wherein the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 60 to R 66 are hydrogen.
  • R 62 is joined with R 63 to form a phenyl ring fused to the existing phenyl ring (e.g., a naphthyl group), and R 60 , R 61 , R 64 , R 65 , and R 66 are independently hydrogen or an alkyl group, preferably hydrogen.
  • each R 54 and R 55 are independently hydrogen, an alkyl group or an aryl group or substituted aryl group; preferably one or both R 54 or R 55 is hydrogen, or one R 54 or R 55 is hydrogen and the other is an aryl group or substituted aryl group.
  • aryl groups for R 54 or R 55 include phenyl, 2-methylphenyl, 2-ethylphenyl, 2-isopropylphenyl, and naphthyl.
  • R 52 and R 51 are independently aryl or substituted aryl; preferably R 51 is a substituted phenyl group such as, but not limited to 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diethylphenyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, mesityl, and the like, and preferably R 52 is phenyl or a substituted phenyl group such as, but not limited to 2-tolyl, 2- ethylphenyl, 2-propylphenyl, 2-trifluoromethylphenyl, 2-fluorophenyl, mesityl, 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diethylphenyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 3,5-di-i ⁇ ?ri-butylphenyl, and the like.
  • R 51 is a substituted phenyl group such as, but not limited to 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diethylphenyl
  • useful catalyst compounds include pyridyl diamide metal complexes, su la (6b):
  • each R 70 -R 71 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, amino, and silyl, and wherein any one or more adjacent R 70 -R 71 may be joined to form a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic ring, wherein the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings, and t is 2 or 3 (corresponding to cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl rings, respectively).
  • R 61 -R 66 are hydrogen.
  • each R 70 and R 71 are independently hydrogen, and t is 2 or 3, preferably 2.
  • each R 54 and R 55 are independently hydrogen, an alkyl group or an aryl group or substituted aryl group; preferably one or both R 54 or R 55 is hydrogen, or one R 54 or R 55 is hydrogen and the other is an aryl group or substituted aryl group.
  • aryl groups include phenyl and 2-methylphenyl, 2- ethylphenyl, 2-isopropylphenyl and naphthyl.
  • R 52 and R 51 are independently aryl or substituted aryl; preferably R 51 is a substituted phenyl group such as, but not limited to 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diethylphenyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, mesityl, and the like, and preferably R 52 is phenyl or a substituted phenyl group such as, but not limited to 2-tolyl, 2- ethylphenyl, 2-propylphenyl, 2-trifluoromethylphenyl, 2-fluorophenyl, mesityl, 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diethylphenyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl, and the like.
  • R 51 is a substituted phenyl group such as, but not limited to 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diethylphenyl, 2,6
  • R 54 , R 55 , R 61 -R 66 , each R 70 -R 71 are hydrogen, R 52 is phenyl, R 51 is 2,6-diisopropylphenyl and t is 2.
  • Non- limiting examples of pyridyl diamide catalysts that are useful herein are
  • Transition metal complexes also referred to as catalyst complexes or pre-catalyst complexes
  • Transition metal complexes include pyridyldiamido transition metal complexes represented by the Formula (A):
  • M is a Group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 metal
  • E is selected from carbon, silicon, or germanium, preferably carbon;
  • X is an anionic leaving group, preferably alkyl, aryl, hydride, alkylsilane, fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, triflate, carboxylate, alkylsulfonate;
  • L is a neutral Lewis base, preferably ether, amine, thioether;
  • R 1 and R 13 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups, preferably aryl;
  • R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, substituted hydrocarbyls, halogen, and phosphino;
  • n 1 or 2;
  • n 0, 1, or 2;
  • an X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group
  • R 10 and R 11 are optionally joined to form a ring, preferably a five-membered ring with the joined R 10 and R 11 group being -CH2CH2-, a six-membered ring with the joined R 10 and R 11 group being -CH2CH2CH2-.
  • R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, amino, and silyl, and wherein adjacent R groups (R 4 and R 5 and/or R 5 and R 6 ) may be joined to form a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 7 , R 8 R 9 , and R 10 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, halogen, amino, and silyl, and wherein adjacent R groups (R 7 and R 8 and/or R 9 and R 10 ) may be joined to form a saturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring carbon atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • n + m is not greater than 4.
  • R 2 and R 3 are each, independently, selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, and substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, halogen, and phosphino, R 2 and R 3 may be joined to form a saturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, where the ring has 4, 5, 6, or 7 ring carbon atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings, or R 2 and R 3 may be joined to form a saturated heterocyclic ring, or a saturated substituted heterocyclic ring where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 11 and R 12 are each, independently, selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, and substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, halogen, and phosphino, R 11 and R 12 may be joined to form a saturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, where the ring has 4, 5, 6, or 7 ring carbon atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings, or R 11 and R 12 may be joined to form a saturated heterocyclic ring, or a saturated substituted heterocyclic ring where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 1 and R 13 may be independently selected from phenyl groups that are variously substituted with between zero to five substituents that include F, CI, Br, I, CF 3 , N0 2 , alkoxy, dialkylamino, aryl, and alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, and isomers thereof.
  • R 3 -E-R 2 groups and preferred R 12 -E-R n groups include CH 2 , CMe 2 , SiMe 2 , SiEt 2 , SiPr 2 , SiBu 2 , SiPh 2 , Si(aryl) 2 , Si(alkyl) 2 , CH(aryl), CH(Ph), CH(alkyl), and CH(2-isopropylphenyl), where alkyl is a C j to C 40 alkyl group (preferably C l to C 20 alkyl, preferably one or more of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, and isomers thereof), aryl is a C 5 to C 40 aryl group (preferably a C 6 to C 20 aryl group, preferably phenyl or substituted phen
  • each X may be independently selected from halide, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, amido, hydrido, phenoxy, hydroxy, silyl, allyl, alkenyl, triflate, alkylsulfonate, arylsulfonate, and alkynyl.
  • the selection of the leaving groups depends on the synthesis route adopted for arriving at the complex and may be changed by additional reactions to suit the later activation method in polymerization.
  • alkyl is preferred when using non-coordinating anions such as N,N-dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-borate or tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane.
  • two L groups may be linked to form a dianionic leaving group, for example, oxalate.
  • each L is independently selected from the group consisting of ethers, thio-ethers, amines, nitriles, imines, pyridines, and phosphines, preferably ethers.
  • M is preferably a Group 4 metal, preferably Zr or Hf.
  • each E is preferably carbon.
  • the transition metal complex is represented by the formula:
  • the pyridyl diamine ligands described herein are generally prepared in multiple steps in accordance with the disclosure of US 9,290,519. An important step involves the preparation of a suitable "linker" group(s) containing both an aryl boronic acid (or acid ester) and an amine group.
  • Examples of these include compounds of the general formula: 7- (boronic acid)-2,3-dihydro-lH-inden-l -(amine), 7-(boronic acid ester)-2,3-dihydro-lH-l- (amine), 7-(boronic acid)-l,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-l-(amine), 7-(boronic acid ester)- l,2,34-tetrahydronaphthalen-l-(amine), which include various boronic acids, boronic acid esters, and amines.
  • the linker groups may be prepared in high yield from arylhalide precursors containing amine functionality by first deprotonation of the amine group with 1.0 molar equivalents of n-BuLi, followed by transmetalation of an arylhalide with t-BuLi and subsequent reaction with a boron-containing reagent. This amine-containing linker is then coupled with a suitable pyridine containing species, such as 6-bromo-2- pyridinecarboxaldehyde. This coupling step typically uses a metal catalyst (e.g., Pd(PPh3) 4 ) in less than 5 mol% loading.
  • a metal catalyst e.g., Pd(PPh3) 4
  • the new derivative which can be described as amine-linker-pyridine-aldehyde, is then reacted with a second amine to produce the imine derivative amine-linker-pyridine-imine in a condensation reaction.
  • This can then be reduced to the pyridyl diamine ligand by reaction with a suitable aryl anion, alkyl anion, or hydride source.
  • This reaction is generally performed in etherial solvents at temperatures between -100°C and 50°C when aryllithium or alkyllithium reagents are employed.
  • This reaction is generally performed in methanol at reflux when sodium cyanoborohydride is employed.
  • pyridyl diamide metal complexes from pyridyl diamines may be accomplished using typical protonolysis and methylation reactions.
  • the protonolysis reaction the pyridyl diamine is reacted with a suitable metal reactant to produce a pyridyldiamide metal complex.
  • a suitable metal reactant will feature a basic leaving group that will accept a proton from the pyridiyl diamine and then generally depart and be removed from the product.
  • Pyridyldiamide metal complexes that contain metal-chloride groups, such as the PDA dichloride complex can be alkylated by reaction with an appropriate organometallic reagent.
  • Suitable reagents include organolithium and organomagnesium, and Grignard reagents.
  • the alkylations are generally performed in etherial or hydrocarbon solvents or solvent mixtures at temperatures typically ranging from -100°C to 50°C.
  • Another route to pyridyl diamide and other complexes of interest as catalysts involves the insertion of an unsaturated molecule into a covalent metal-carbon bond where the covalently bonded group is part of a multidentate ligand structure, such as that described by Boussie et al. in US 6,750,345.
  • the unsaturated molecule will generally have a carbon-X double or triple bond where X is a group 14 or group 15 or group 16 element.
  • Examples of unsaturated molecules include alkenes, alkynes, imines, nitriles, ketones, aldehydes, amides, formamides, carbon dioxide, isocyanates, thioisocyanates, and carbodiimides. Examples showing the insertion reactions involving imines and carbonyls are found in US 7,973,116 and US 2012/0071616.
  • the transition metal complex is not a metallocene.
  • a metallocene catalyst is defined as an organometallic compound with at least one ⁇ -bound cyclopentadienyl moiety (or substituted cyclopentadienyl moiety) and more frequently two ⁇ -bound cyclopentadienyl moieties or substituted cyclopentadienyl moieties.
  • the single site catalyst compounds useful herein are preferably tridentateligands bound to the transition metal (such as a group 4 metal), preferably tridentate ⁇ , ⁇ , ⁇ ligands bound to a transition metal (such as a Zr, Hf, or Ti).
  • the catalyst complexes are represented by the Formula (la) or (Ila):
  • M is a Group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal
  • J is a three-atom-length bridge between the quinoline and the amido nitrogen
  • E* is selected from carbon, silicon, or germanium
  • X is an anionic leaving group
  • L is a neutral Lewis base
  • R 1 and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups;
  • R 2* through R 12 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, substituted hydrocarbyls, halogen, and phosphino;
  • n 1 or 2;
  • n 0, 1, or 2
  • n+m is not greater than 4.
  • any two adjacent R groups may be joined to form a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings;
  • any two X groups may be joined together to form a dianionic group
  • any two L groups may be joined together to form a bidentate Lewis base
  • an X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group.
  • M is a Group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal
  • J is group comprising a three-atom-length bridge between the quinoline and the amido nitrogen, preferably a group containing up to 50 non-hydrogen atoms;
  • E* is carbon, silicon, or germanium
  • X is an anionic leaving group, (such as a hydrocarbyl group or a halogen);
  • L is a neutral Lewis base
  • R 1 and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups;
  • R 2* , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are independently hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, substituted hydrocarbyl, halogen, or phosphino;
  • n 1 or 2;
  • n 0, 1, or 2
  • n+m is not greater than 4; any two adjacent R groups (e.g., R 1 & R 2 , R 2 & R 3 , etc.) may be joined to form a substituted hydrocarbyl, unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, substituted heterocyclic ring, or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings;
  • any two X groups may be joined together to form a dianionic group
  • any two L groups may be joined together to form a bidentate Lewis base
  • any X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group.
  • M is a Group 4 metal, such as zirconium or hafnium.
  • J is an aromatic substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl (preferably a hydrocarbyl) having from 3 to 30 non-hydrogen atoms, preferably J is represented by the Formula:
  • R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , and E are as defined above, and any two adjacent R groups (e.g., R 7 & R 8 , R 8 & R 9 , R 9 & R 10 , R 10 & R 11 , etc.) may be joined to form a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl or heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms (preferably 5 or 6 atoms), and said ring may be saturated or unsaturated (such as partially unsaturated or aromatic), preferably J is an arylalkyl (such as arylmethyl, etc.) or dihydro-lH- indenyl, or tetrahydronaphthalenyl group.
  • R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , and E are as defined above, and any two adjacent R groups (e.g., R 7 & R 8 , R 8
  • E is carbon
  • X is alkyl (such as alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, and isomers thereof), aryl, hydride, alkylsilane, fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, triflate, carboxylate, amido (such as NMe2), or alkylsulfonate.
  • alkyl such as alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, and isomers thereof
  • aryl hydride
  • alkylsilane fluoride
  • chloride bromide
  • iodide triflate
  • carboxylate
  • L is an ether, amine or thioether.
  • R 10 and R 11 are joined to form a five-membered ring with the joined R 10 R n group being -CH2CH2-.
  • R 10 and R 11 are joined to form a six-membered ring with the joined R 10 R n group being -CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 -.
  • R 1 and R 13 may be independently selected from phenyl groups that are variously substituted with between zero to five substituents that include F, CI, Br, I, CF 3 , N0 2 , alkoxy, dialkylamino, aryl, and alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, and isomers thereof.
  • the quinolinyldiamido transition metal complex represented by the Formula Ila above where: M is a Group 4 metal (preferably hafnium); E* is selected from carbon, silicon, or germanium (preferably carbon); X is an alkyl, aryl, hydride, alkylsilane, fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, triflate, carboxylate, amido, alkoxo, or alkylsulfonate; L is an ether, amine, or thioether; R 1 and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, and silyl groups (preferably aryl); R 2* , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are independently hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy,
  • R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, amino, and silyl, and wherein adjacent R groups (R 4 & R 5 and/or R 5 & R 6 ) may be joined to form a substituted hydrocarbyl, unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, unsubstituted heterocyclic ring or substituted heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 7 , R 8 R 9 , and R 10 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, halogen, amino, and silyl, and wherein adjacent R groups (R 7 and R 8 , and/or R 9 and R 10 ) may be joined to form a saturated, substituted hydrocarbyl, unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, unsubstituted heterocyclic ring or substituted heterocyclic ring, where the ring has 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring carbon atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 2* and R 3 are each, independently, selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, and substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, halogen, and phosphino, R 2* and R 3 may be joined to form a saturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, where the ring has 4, 5, 6, or 7 ring carbon atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings, or R 2* and R 3 may be joined to form a saturated heterocyclic ring, or a saturated substituted heterocyclic ring where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 11 and R 12 are each, independently, selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, and substituted hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, aryloxy, halogen, and phosphino, R 11 and R 12 may be joined to form a saturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, where the ring has 4, 5, 6, or 7 ring carbon atoms and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings, or R 11 and R 12 may be joined to form a saturated heterocyclic ring, or a saturated substituted heterocyclic ring where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings.
  • R 1 and R 13 may be independently selected from phenyl groups that are variously substituted with between zero to five substituents that include F, CI, Br, I, CF 3 , N0 2 , alkoxy, dialkylamino, aryl, and alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, and isomers thereof.
  • preferred R 12 -E*-R n groups include CH 2 , CMe 2 , SiMe 2 , SiEt 2 , SiPr 2 , SiBu 2 , SiPh 2 , Si(aryl) 2 , Si(alkyl) 2 , CH(aryl), CH(Ph), CH(alkyl), and CH(2-isopropylphenyl), where alkyl is a C j to C 40 alkyl group (preferably C l to C 20 alkyl, preferably one or more of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, and isomers thereof), aryl is a C 5 to C 40 aryl group (preferably a C 6 to C 20 aryl group, preferably phenyl or substituted phenyl,
  • the R groups above and other R groups mentioned hereafter contain from 1 to 30, preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, especially from 6 to 20 carbon atoms.
  • M is Ti, Zr, or Hf
  • E is carbon, with Zr or Hf based complexes being especially preferred.
  • E* is carbon and R 12 and R 11 are independently selected from phenyl groups that are substituted with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of F, CI, Br, I, CF 3 , N0 2 , alkoxy, dialkylamino, hydrocarbyl, and substituted hydrocarbyl groups with from one to ten carbons.
  • R 11 and R 12 are independently selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, phenyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, and trimethylsilyl.
  • R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10 are independently selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, phenyl, cyclohexyl, fluoro, chloro, methoxy, ethoxy, phenoxy, and trimethylsilyl.
  • R 2* , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbyls, alkoxy, silyl, amino, substituted hydrocarbyls, and halogen.
  • each L is independently selected from Et20, MeOtBu, Et 3 N, PhNMe2, MePh2N, tetrahydrofuran, and dimethylsulfide.
  • each X is independently selected from methyl, benzyl, trimethylsilyl, neopentyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl, hydrido, chloro, fluoro, bromo, iodo, dimethylamido, diethylamide, dipropylamido, and diisopropylamido.
  • R 1 is 2,6- diisopropylphenyl, 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl, 2,6-diisopropyl-4-methylphenyl, 2,6- diethylphenyl, 2-ethyl-6-isopropylphenyl, 2,6-bis(3-pentyl)phenyl, 2,6-dicyclopentylphenyl, or 2,6-dicyclohexylphenyl.
  • R 13 is phenyl, 2- methylphenyl, 2-ethylphenyl, 2-propylphenyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 2-isopropylphenyl, 4- methylphenyl, 3,5-dimethylphenyl, 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl, 4-fluorophenyl, 3-methylphenyl, 4-dimethylaminophenyl, or 2-phenylphenyl.
  • J is dihydro-lH- indenyl and R 1 is 2,6-dialkylphenyl or 2,4,6-trialkylphenyl.
  • R 1 is 2,6- diisopropylphenyl and R 13 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 carbon atoms.
  • the catalyst systems typically comprise a transition metal complex as described above and an activator such as alumoxane or a non-coordinating anion. Activation may be performed using alumoxane solution including methyl alumoxane, referred to as MAO, as well as modified MAO, referred to herein as MMAO, containing some higher alkyl groups to improve the solubility.
  • MAO methyl alumoxane
  • MMAO modified MAO
  • Particularly useful MAO can be purchased from Albemarle, typically in a 10 wt% solution in toluene.
  • the catalyst system employed in the present invention may use an activator selected from alumoxanes, such as methyl alumoxane, modified methyl alumoxane, ethyl alumoxane, iso-butyl alumoxane, and the like.
  • alumoxanes such as methyl alumoxane, modified methyl alumoxane, ethyl alumoxane, iso-butyl alumoxane, and the like.
  • the complex-to-activator molar ratio is from about 1 :3000 to 10: 1; alternatively 1:2000 to 10: 1 ; alternatively 1: 1000 to 10: 1; alternatively, 1:500 to 1: 1 ; alternatively 1 :300 to 1: 1; alternatively 1 :200 to 1 : 1; alternatively 1 : 100 to 1: 1; alternatively 1 :50 to 1 : 1; alternatively 1: 10 to 1: 1.
  • the activator is an alumoxane (modified or unmodified)
  • some embodiments select the maximum amount of activator at a 5000-fold molar excess over the catalyst precursor (per metal catalytic site).
  • the preferred minimum activator-to-complex ratio is 1: 1 molar ratio.
  • NCA non-coordinating anions
  • NCA's non-coordinating anions
  • NCA may be added in the form of an ion pair using, for example, [DMAHJ+ [NCA]- in which the N,N- dimethylanilinium (DMAH) cation reacts with a basic leaving group on the transition metal complex to form a transition metal complex cation and [NCA]-.
  • the cation in the precursor may, alternatively, be trityl.
  • the transition metal complex may be reacted with a neutral NCA precursor, such as B(C 6 F5)3, which abstracts an anionic group from the complex to form an activated species.
  • Useful activators include N,N-dimethylanilinium tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl)borate (i.e., [PhNMe2H]B(C6Fs)4) and N,N-dimethylanilinium tetrakis (heptafluoronaphthyl)borate, where Ph is phenyl, and Me is methyl.
  • preferred activators useful herein include those described in US 7,247,687 at column 169, line 50 to column 174, line 43, particularly column 172, line 24 to column 173, line 53.
  • the non-coordinating anion activator is represented by the following Formula (1):
  • Z is (L-H) or a reducible Lewis acid
  • L is a neutral Lewis base
  • H is hydrogen and (L-H)+ is a Bronsted acid
  • a d_ is a non-coordinating anion having the charge d-
  • d is an integer from 1 to 3.
  • the cation component may include Bronsted acids such as protonated Lewis bases capable of protonating a moiety, such as an alkyl or aryl, from the catalyst precursor, resulting in a cationic transition metal species, or the activating cation (L-H)d+ is a Bronsted acid, capable of donating a proton to the catalyst precursor resulting in a transition metal cation, including ammoniums, oxoniums, phosphoniums, silyliums, and mixtures thereof, or ammoniums of methylamine, aniline, dimethylamine, diethylamine, N-methylaniline, diphenylamine, trimethylamine, triethylamine, ⁇ , ⁇ -dimethylaniline, methyldiphenylamine, pyridine, p-bromo N,N- dimethylaniline, p-nitro-N,N-dimethyl
  • Z is a reducible Lewis acid
  • it may be represented by the formula: (AT3C + ), where Ar is aryl or aryl substituted with a heteroatom, or a C l to C 40 hydrocarbyl
  • the reducible Lewis acid may be represented by the formula: (Pli3C + ), where Ph is phenyl or phenyl substituted with a heteroatom, and/or a C l to C 40 hydrocarbyl.
  • the reducible Lewis acid is triphenyl carbenium.
  • Each Q may be a fluorinated hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or each Q is a fluorinated aryl radical, or each Q is a pentafluoryl aryl radical.
  • suitable Ad- components also include diboron compounds as disclosed in US 5,447,895, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
  • This invention also relates to a method to polymerize olefins comprising contacting olefins (such as propylene) with a catalyst complex as described above and an NCA activator represented by the Formula (2):
  • R is a monoanionic ligand
  • M** is a Group 13 metal or metalloid
  • ArNHal is a halogenated, nitrogen-containing aromatic ring, polycyclic aromatic ring, or aromatic ring assembly in which two or more rings (or fused ring systems) are joined directly to one another or together
  • n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.
  • the NCA comprising an anion of Formula 2 also comprises a suitable cation that is essentially non-interfering with the ionic catalyst complexes formed with the transition metal compounds, or the cation is Z d + as described above.
  • R is selected from the group consisting of C l to C 30 hydrocarbyl radicals.
  • C l to C 30 hydrocarbyl radicals may be substituted with one or more C l to C 20 hydrocarbyl radicals, halide, hydrocarbyl substituted organometalloid, dialkylamido, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkysulfido, arylsulfido, alkylphosphido, arylphosphide, or other anionic substituent; fluoride; bulky alkoxides, where bulky means C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbyl radicals; — SRa, — NRa2, and -PRa2, where each Ra is independently a monovalent C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbyl radical comprising a molecular volume greater than or equal to the molecular volume of an isopropyl substitution or a C 4
  • the NCA also comprises cation comprising a reducible Lewis acid represented by the formula: (AT3C + ), where Ar is aryl or aryl substituted with a heteroatom, and/or a C l to C 40 hydrocarbyl, or the reducible Lewis acid represented by the formula: (Pli3C + ), where Ph is phenyl or phenyl substituted with one or more heteroatoms, and/or C l to C 40 hydrocarbyls.
  • a reducible Lewis acid represented by the formula: (AT3C + ) where Ar is aryl or aryl substituted with a heteroatom, and/or a C l to C 40 hydrocarbyl
  • the reducible Lewis acid represented by the formula: (Pli3C + ) where Ph is phenyl or phenyl substituted with one or more heteroatoms, and/or C l to C 40 hydrocarbyls.
  • the NCA may also comprise a cation represented by the formula, (L-H)d+, wherein L is a neutral Lewis base; H is hydrogen; (L-H) is a Bronsted acid; and d is 1, 2, or 3, or (L-H)d+ is a Bronsted acid selected from ammoniums, oxoniums, phosphoniums, silyliums, and mixtures thereof.
  • an activator useful herein comprises a salt of a cationic oxidizing agent and a noncoordinating, compatible anion represented by the Formula (3):
  • OX e+ is a cationic oxidizing agent having a charge of e+; e is 1, 2, or 3; d is 1, 2, or 3; and A d ⁇ is a non-coordinating anion having the charge of d- (as further described above).
  • Examples of cationic oxidizing agents include: ferrocenium, hydrocarbyl- substituted ferrocenium, Ag+, or Pb+ 2 .
  • Suitable embodiments of A d ⁇ include tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate.
  • Activators useful in catalyst systems herein include: trimethylammonium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthyl)borate, ⁇ , ⁇ -dimethylanilinium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthyl)borate, ⁇ , ⁇ -diethylanilinium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthyl)borate, trimethylammonium tetrakis(perfluorobiphenyl)borate, ⁇ , ⁇ -dimethylanilinium tetrakis(perfluorobiphenyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(perfluorobiphenyl)borate, and the types disclosed in US 7,297,653, which is fully incorporated by reference herein.
  • Suitable activators also include:
  • the activator comprises a triaryl carbonium (such as triphenylcarbenium tetraphenylborate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis-(2,3 ,4,6-tetrafluorophenyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(perfluorobiphenyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)borate).
  • a triaryl carbonium such as triphenylcarbenium tetraphenylborate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, triphenylcarbenium tetrakis-(2,3 ,4,6
  • two NCA activators may be used in the polymerization and the molar ratio of the first NCA activator to the second NCA activator can be any ratio.
  • the molar ratio of the first NCA activator to the second NCA activator is 0.01:1 to 10,000:1, or 0.1:1 to 1000:1, or 1:1 to 100:1.
  • the NCA activator-to-catalyst ratio is a 1:1 molar ratio, or 0.1:1 to 100:1, or 0.5:1 to 200:1, or 1:1 to 500:1 or 1:1 to 1000:1. In an embodiment, the NCA activator-to-catalyst ratio is 0.5:1 to 10:1, or 1:1 to 5:1.
  • the catalyst compounds can be combined with combinations of alumoxanes and NCA's (see for example, US 5,153,157; US 5,453,410; EP 0573 120 Bl; WO 94/07928; and WO 95/14044 which discuss the use of an alumoxane in combination with an ionizing activator, all of which are incorporated by reference herein).
  • the complex-to-activator molar ratio is typically from 1:10 to 1:1; 1:10 to 10:1; 1:10 to 2:1; 1:10 to 3:1; 1:10 to 5:1; 1:2 to 1.2:1; 1:2 to 10:1; 1:2 to 2:1; 1:2 to 3:1; 1:2 to 5:1; 1:3 to 1.2:1; 1:3 to 10:1; 1:3 to 2:1; 1:3 to 3:1; 1:3 to 5:1; 1:5 to 1:1; 1:5 to 10:1; 1:5 to 2:1; 1:5 to 3:1; 1:5 to 5:1; 1:1 to 1:1.2.
  • NCA such as an ionic or neutral stoichiometric activator
  • a co-activator or chain transfer agent such as a group 1, 2, or 13 organometallic species (e.g., an alkyl aluminum compound such as tri-n-octyl aluminum), may also be used in the catalyst system herein.
  • the complex-to-co-activator molar ratio is from 1:100 to 100:1; 1:75 to 75:1; 1:50 to 50:1; 1:25 to 25:1; 1:15 to 15:1; 1:10 to 10:1; 1:5 to 5:1; 1:2 to 2:1; 1:100 to 1:1; 1:75 to 1:1; 1:50 to 1:1; 1:25 to 1:1; 1:15 to 1:1; 1:10 to 1:1; 1:5 to 1:1; 1:2 to 1:1; 1:10 to 2:1.
  • the catalyst systems described herein further comprise a metal hydrocarbenyl transfer agent (which is any group 13 metal agent that contains at least one transferrable group that has an allyl chain end), preferably an aluminum vinyl-transfer agent, also referred to as an AVTA, (which is any aluminum agent that contains at least one transferrable group that has an allyl chain end).
  • a metal hydrocarbenyl transfer agent which is any group 13 metal agent that contains at least one transferrable group that has an allyl chain end
  • AVTA aluminum vinyl-transfer agent
  • "Allylic vinyl group,” “allyl chain end,” “vinyl chain end,” “vinyl termination,” “allylic vinyl group,” “terminal vinyl group,” and “vinyl terminated” are used interchangeably herein and refer to an allyl chain end.
  • An allyl chain end is not a vinylidene chain end or a vinylene chain end.
  • the number of allyl chain ends, vinylidene chain ends, vinylene chain ends, and other unsaturated chain ends is determined using ⁇ NMR at 120°C using deuterated tetrachloroethane as the solvent on an at least 250 MHz NMR spectrometer.
  • R* represents a hydrocarbyl group or a substituted hydrocarbyl group, such as a C l to C 20 alkyl, preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, or an isomer thereof.
  • the catalyst undergoes alkyl group transfer with the transfer agent, which enables the formation of polymer chains containing one or more allyl chain ends.
  • hydrocarbenyl refers to a hydrocarb-di-yl divalent group, such as a C l to C 20 alkylene (i.e., methylene (CH 2 ), ethylene [(CH 2 ) 2 ], propandiyl [(CH 2 ) 3 ], butandiyl [(CH 2 ) 4 ], pentandiyl [(CH 2 ) 5 ], hexandiyl [(CH 2 ) 6 ], heptandiyl [(CH 2 ) V ], octandiyl [(CH 2 )8J, nonandiyl [(CH 2 ) 9 ], decandiyl [(CH 2 ) 10 ], undecandiyl [(CH 2 ) N ], dodecandiyl [(CH 2 ) 12 ], and isomers thereof).
  • a C l to C 20 alkylene i.e., methylene (CH 2 ), ethylene [(CH 2 )
  • AVTA's are alkenylaluminum reagents capable of causing group exchange between the transition metal of the catalyst system (MTM) and the metal of the AVTA (M AVTA ).
  • MTM transition metal of the catalyst system
  • M AVTA metal of the AVTA
  • the reverse reaction may also occur such that the polymeryl chain is transferred back to the transition metal of the catalyst system. This reaction scheme is illustrated below:
  • MTM_P + M AVTA -R or MTM-R + M AVTA -P wherein MTM is an active transition metal catalyst site and P is the polymeryl chain, M AVTA is the metal of the AVTA, and R is a transferable group containing an allyl chain end, such as a hydrocarbyl group containing an allyl chain end, also called a hydrocarbenyl or alkenyl group.
  • Catalyst systems of this invention preferably have high rates of olefin propagation and negligible or no chain termination via beta hydride elimination, beta methyl elimination, or chain transfer to monomer relative to the rate of chain transfer to the AVTA or other chain transfer agent, such as an aluminum alkyl, if present.
  • Pyridyldiamido catalyst complexes (see US 7,973,116; US 8,394,902; US 8,674,040; US 8,710,163; US 9,102,773; US 2014/0256893; US 2014/0316089; and US 2015/0141601) activated with non- coordinating activators such as dimethyanilinium tetrakis(perfluorophenyl)borate and/or dimethyanilinium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthyl)borate are particularly useful in the catalyst systems of this invention.
  • Compound 3, described above is particularly preferred.
  • the catalyst system comprises an aluminum vinyl transfer agent, which is typically represented by the formula (I):
  • R is a hydrocarbenyl group containing 4 to 20 carbon atoms having an allyl chain end
  • R' is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms
  • v is 0.1 to 3, alternately 1 to 3, alternately 1.1 to less than 3, alternately v is 0.5 to 2.9, 1.1 to 2.9, alternately 1.5 to 2.7, alternately 1.5 to 2.5, alternately 1.8 to 2.2.
  • the compounds represented by the formula Al(R')3-v(R)v are typically a neutral species, but anionic formulations may be envisioned, such as those represented by formula (II): [Al(R')4- w (R)w] ⁇ , where w is 0.1 to 4, R is a hydrocarbenyl group containing 4 to 20 carbon atoms having an allyl chain end, and R' is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms.
  • each R' is independently chosen from C l to C 30 hydrocarbyl groups (such as a C l to C 20 alkyl groups, preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, or an isomer thereof), and R is represented by the formula:
  • particularly useful AVTAs include, but are not limited to, tri(but-3-en-l-yl)aluminum, tri(pent-4-en-l-yl)aluminum, tri(oct-7-en-l- yl)aluminum, tri(non-8-en-l-yl)aluminum, tri(dec-9-en-l-yl)aluminum, dimethyl (oct-7-en-l- yl)aluminum, diethyl(oct-7-en- l-yl)aluminum, dibutyl(oct-7-en- l-yl)aluminum, diisobutyl(oct-7-en- l-yl)aluminum, diisobutyl(non-8-en- l-yl)aluminum, di
  • AVTAs Mixtures of one or more AVTAs may also be used.
  • isobutyl-di(oct-7-en-l-yl)-aluminum, isobutyl-di(dec-9- en-l-yl)-aluminum, isobutyl-di(non-8-en-l-yl)-aluminum, isobutyl-di(hept-6-en-l-yl)- aluminum are preferred.
  • Useful aluminum vinyl transfer agents include organoaluminum compound reaction products between aluminum reagent (A1R3 ⁇ 4) and an alkyl diene.
  • Suitable alkyl dienes include those that have two "alpha olefins," as described above, at two termini of the carbon chain.
  • the alkyl diene can be a straight chain or branched alkyl chain and substituted or unsubstituted.
  • Exemplary alkyl dienes include but are not limited to, for example, 1,3- butadiene, 1,4-pentadiene, 1 ,6-heptadiene, 1,7-octadiene, 1,8-nonadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 1,10- undecadiene, 1,11-dodecadiene, 1,12-tridecadiene, 1,13-tetradecadiene, 1,14-pentadecadiene, 1,15-hexadecadiene, 1,16-heptadecadiene, 1,17-octadecadiene, 1,18-nonadecadiene, 1,19- eicosadiene, 1,20-heneicosadiene, etc.
  • Exemplary aluminum reagents include triisobutylaluminum, diisobutylaluminumhydride, isobutylaluminumdihydride and aluminum hydride (A1H 3 ).
  • R" is butenyl, pentenyl, heptenyl, or octenyl. In some embodiments R" is preferably octenyl.
  • R' is methyl, ethyl, propyl, isobutyl, or butyl. In any embodiment of the invention described herein, R' is isobutyl.
  • v is about 2, or v is 2.
  • v is about 1, or v is 1, preferably from about 1 to about 2.
  • v is an integer or a non- integer, preferably v is from 1.1 to 2.9, from about 1.5 to about 2.7, e.g., from about 1.6 to about 2.4, from about 1.7 to about 2.4, from about 1.8 to about 2.2, from about 1.9 to about 2.1 and all ranges there between.
  • R' is isobutyl and each R" is octenyl, preferably R' is isobutyl, each R" is octenyl, and v is from 1.1 to 2.9, from about 1.5 to about 2.7, e.g., from about 1.6 to about 2.4, from about 1.7 to about 2.4, from about 1.8 to about 2.2, from about 1.9 to about 2.1.
  • v the aluminum alkenyl
  • R" is a hydrocarbenyl group containing 4 to 20 carbon atoms having an allyl chain end
  • R' is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms
  • v is 0.1 to 3 (preferably 1.1 to 3).
  • This formulation represents the observed average of organoaluminum species (as determined by 3 ⁇ 4 NMR) present in a mixture, which may include any of A1(R) 3 , A1(R') 2 (R"), A1(R')(R")2, and A1(R") 3 .
  • 3 ⁇ 4 NMR spectroscopic studies are performed at room temperature using a Bruker 400 MHz NMR. Data is collected using samples prepared by dissolving 10-20 mg the compound in 1 mL of C 6 D6. Samples are then loaded into 5 mm NMR tubes for data collection. Data is recorded using a maximum pulse width of 45°, 8 seconds between pulses and signal averaging either 8 or 16 transients. The spectra are normalized to protonated tetrachloroethane in the C 6 D 6 . The chemical shifts ( ⁇ ) are reported as relative to the residual protium in the deuterated solvent at 7.15 ppm.
  • the aluminum vinyl-transfer agent has less than 50 wt% dimer present, based upon the weight of the AVTA, preferably less than 40 wt%, preferably less than 30 wt%, preferably less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 15 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, preferably less than 5 wt%, preferably less than 2 wt%, preferably less than 1 wt%, preferably 0 wt% dimer.
  • dimer is present at from 0.1 to 50 wt%, alternately 1 to 20 wt%, alternately at from 2 to 10 wt%.
  • Dimer is the dimeric product of the alkyl diene used in the preparation of the AVTA.
  • the dimer can be formed under certain reaction conditions, and is formed from the insertion of a molecule of diene into the Al-R bond of the AVTA, followed by beta-hydride elimination. For example, if the alkyl diene used is 1,7- octadiene, the dimer is 7-methylenepentadeca-l,14-diene. Similarly, if the alkyl diene is 1,9- decadiene, the dimer is 9-methylenenonadeca-l,18-diene.
  • Useful compounds can be prepared by combining an aluminum reagent (such as alkyl aluminum) having at least one secondary alkyl moiety (such as triisobutylaluminum) and/or at least one hydride, such as a dialkylaluminum hydride, a monoalkylaluminum dihydride or aluminum trihydride (aluminum hydride, AIH3) with an alkyl diene and heating to a temperature that causes release of an alkylene byproduct.
  • an aluminum reagent such as alkyl aluminum
  • secondary alkyl moiety such as triisobutylaluminum
  • hydride such as a dialkylaluminum hydride, a monoalkylaluminum dihydride or aluminum trihydride (aluminum hydride, AIH3)
  • solvent(s) is not required.
  • non-polar solvents can be employed, such as, as hexane, pentane, toluene, benzene, xylene
  • the AVTA is free of coordinating polar solvents such as tetrahydrofuran and diethylether.
  • the AVTA to catalyst complex equivalence ratio can be from about 1: 100 to 500,000: 1. More preferably, the molar ratio of AVTA to catalyst complex is greater than 5, alternately greater than 10, alternately greater than 15, alternately greater than 20, alternately greater than 25, alternately greater than 30.
  • the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent may be represented by the formula: E[Al(R')2 v(R)v]2 wherein E is a group 16 element (such as O or S, preferably O); each R', independently, is a C l to C 30 hydrocarbyl group (such as a C l to C 20 alkyl group, preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, or an isomer thereof); each R", independently, is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbenyl group having an allyl chain end (such as a C l to C 20 alkenyl group, preferably methenyl, ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, pentenyl, heptenyl, octenyl, nonenyl,
  • the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent is an alumoxane formed from the hydrolysis of the AVTA.
  • the alumoxane can be formed from the hydrolysis of the AVTA in combination with other aluminum alkyl(s).
  • the alumoxane component is an oligomeric compound which is not well characterized, but can be represented by the general formula (R-Al-0) m which is a cyclic compound, or may be R'(R-Al-0) m -AlR'2 which is a linear compound where R' is as defined above and at least one R' is the same as R (as defined above), and m is from about 4 to 25, with a range of 13 to 25 being preferred. Most preferably all R' are R.
  • An alumoxane is generally a mixture of both the linear and cyclic compounds.
  • the complexes described herein may be supported (with or without an activator and with or without a transfer agent) by any method effective to support other coordination catalyst systems, effectively meaning that the catalyst so prepared can be used for polymerizing olefin(s) in a heterogeneous process.
  • the catalyst precursor, activator, optional transfer agent, co-activator if needed, suitable solvent, and support may be added in any order or simultaneously.
  • the complex, activator, and optional transfer agent may be combined in solvent to form a solution.
  • the support is added, and the mixture is stirred for 1 minute to 10 hours.
  • the total solution volume may be greater than the pore volume of the support, but some embodiments limit the total solution volume below that needed to form a gel or slurry (about 90% to 400%, preferably about 100% to 200% of the pore volume).
  • the complex may also be supported absent the activator, and in that case, the activator (and co-activator if needed) is added to a polymerization process' liquid phase. Additionally, two or more different complexes may be placed on the same support. Likewise, two or more activators or an activator and co-activator may be placed on the same support. Likewise the transfer agent may be added to the polymerization reaction separately from the supported catalyst complex and/or activator.
  • Suitable solid particle supports are typically comprised of polymeric or refractory oxide materials, each being preferably porous.
  • any support material that has an average particle size greater than 10 ⁇ is suitable for use in this invention.
  • a porous support material such as for example, talc, inorganic oxides, inorganic chlorides, for example magnesium chloride and resinous support materials such as polystyrene polyolefin or polymeric compounds or any other organic support material and the like.
  • Some embodiments select inorganic oxide materials as the support material including Group-2, -3, -4, -5, -13, or -14 metal or metalloid oxides.
  • the catalyst support materials select to include silica, alumina, silica-alumina, and their mixtures.
  • Other inorganic oxides may serve either alone or in combination with the silica, alumina, or silica- alumina. These are magnesia, titania, zirconia, and the like.
  • the support can optionally double as the activator component; however, an additional activator may also be used.
  • the support material may be pre-treated by any number of methods.
  • inorganic oxides may be calcined, chemically treated with dehydroxylating agents such as aluminum alkyls and the like, or both.
  • polymeric carriers will also be suitable in accordance with the invention, see, for example, the descriptions in WO 95/15815 and US 5,427,991.
  • the methods disclosed may be used with the catalyst complexes, activators or catalyst systems of this invention to adsorb or absorb them on the polymeric supports, particularly if made up of porous particles, or may be chemically bound through functional groups bound to or in the polymer chains.
  • Useful supports typically have a surface area of from 10-700 m 2 /g, a pore volume of 0.1-4.0 cc/g and an average particle size of 10-500 ⁇ . Some embodiments select a surface area of 50-500 m2/g, a pore volume of 0.5-3.5 cc/g, or an average particle size of 20- 200 ⁇ . Other embodiments select a surface area of 100-400 m2/g, a pore volume of 0.8-3.0 cc/g, and an average particle size of 30-100 ⁇ . Useful supports typically have a pore size of 10-1000 Angstroms, alternatively 50-500 Angstroms, or 75-350 Angstroms.
  • the catalyst complexes described herein are generally deposited on the support at a loading level of 10-100 micromoles of complex per gram of solid support; alternately 20-80 micromoles of complex per gram of solid support; or 40-60 micromoles of complex per gram of support. However, greater or lesser values may be used provided that the total amount of solid complex does not exceed the support's pore volume.
  • Invention catalyst complexes are useful in polymerizing unsaturated monomers conventionally known to undergo coordination-catalyzed polymerization such as solution, slurry, gas-phase, and high-pressure polymerization.
  • unsaturated monomers conventionally known to undergo coordination-catalyzed polymerization
  • one or more of the complexes described herein, one or more activators, one or more transfer agents (such as an aluminum vinyl transfer agent) and one or more monomers are contacted to produce polymer.
  • the complexes may be supported and, as such, will be particularly useful in the known, fixed-bed, moving-bed, fluid-bed, slurry, gas phase, solution, or bulk operating modes conducted in single, series, or parallel reactors.
  • One or more reactors in series or in parallel may be used in the present invention.
  • the complexes, activator, transfer agent, and, when required, co-activator may be delivered as a solution or slurry, either separately to the reactor, activated in-line just prior to the reactor, or pre-activated and pumped as an activated solution or slurry to the reactor.
  • Polymerizations are carried out in either single reactor operation, in which monomer, comonomers, catalyst/activator/co-activator, optional scavenger, and optional modifiers are added continuously to a single reactor or in series reactor operation, in which the above components are added to each of two or more reactors connected in series.
  • the catalyst components can be added to the first reactor in the series.
  • the catalyst component may also be added to both reactors, with one component being added to the first reaction and another component to other reactors.
  • the complex is activated in the reactor in the presence of olefin and transfer agent.
  • the polymerization process is a continuous process.
  • Polymerization process used herein typically comprises contacting one or more alkene monomers with the complexes, activators and transfer agents described herein.
  • alkenes are defined to include multi-alkenes (such as dialkenes) and alkenes having just one double bond.
  • Polymerization may be homogeneous (solution or bulk polymerization) or heterogeneous (slurry -in a liquid diluent, or gas phase -in a gaseous diluent).
  • the complex and activator may be supported.
  • Silica is useful as a support herein.
  • Chain transfer agents (such as hydrogen or diethyl zinc) may be used in the practice of this invention.
  • the present polymerization processes may be conducted under conditions preferably including a temperature of about 30°C to about 200°C, preferably from 60°C to 195 °C, preferably from 75 °C to 190°C.
  • the process may be conducted at a pressure of from 0.05 to 1500 MPa. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure is between 1.7 MPa and 30 MPa, or in another embodiment, especially under supercritical conditions, the pressure is between 15 MPa and 1500 MPa.
  • branching such as a g' V i S of less than 0.95
  • the temperature of the polymerization reaction such as above 80°C
  • solids content in the polymerization reaction mass such as 10 weight % or more, based on the weight of the components entering the reactor
  • residence time of the polymerization such as 10 minutes or more
  • a more linear polymer such as a g' V i S of more than 0.95
  • 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the above conditions may be varied above or below the suggested conditions above to obtain a desired result. For example a lower catalyst/ A VTA molar ratio can be used if the catalyst activity is higher.
  • Monomers useful herein include olefins having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms, alternately 2 to 12 carbon atoms (preferably ethylene, propylene, butylene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, nonene, decene, and dodecene) and, optionally, also polyenes (such as dienes).
  • Particularly preferred monomers include propylene, and mixtures of ethylene and or C 4 to C 10 alpha olefins, such as propylene-ethylene, propylene-hexene, propylene-octene, and the like.
  • the catalyst systems described herein are also particularly effective for the polymerization of propylene, either alone or in combination with at least one other olefinically unsaturated monomer, such as ethylene and/or a C 4 to C 20 a-olefin, and particularly ethylene and or a C 4 to C n a-olefin.
  • at least one other olefinically unsaturated monomer such as ethylene and/or a C 4 to C 20 a-olefin, and particularly ethylene and or a C 4 to C n a-olefin.
  • the catalyst systems described herein are also particularly effective for the polymerization of ethylene and propylene, either alone or in combination with at least one other olefinically unsaturated monomer, such as a C 4 to C 20 diene, and particularly a C 3 to C 12 diene.
  • Examples of preferred a-olefins include ethylene, propylene, butene-1, pentene-1, hexene-1, heptene-1, octene-1, nonene-1, decene-1, dodecene-1, 4-methylpentene-l, 3- methylpentene-1, 3, 5, 5-trimethylhexene-l, and 5-ethylnonene-l.
  • the monomer mixture comprises one or more dienes at up to 10 wt%, such as from 0.00001 to 1.0 wt%, for example from 0.002 to 0.5 wt%, such as from 0.003 to 0.2 wt%, based upon the monomer mixture.
  • useful dienes include: 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene, 1,4-hexadiene, 1,5-heptadiene, 6-methyl-l,6-heptadiene, 1,6-octadiene, 7-methyl-l,7-octadiene, 1,8- decadiene, and 9-methyl-l,9-decadiene.
  • the catalyst systems may, under appropriate conditions, generate stereoregular polymers or polymers having stereoregular sequences in the polymer chains.
  • the catalyst systems described herein are used in any polymerization process described above to produce propylene copolymers, particularly propylene-ethylene copolymers and propylene-ethylene-diene monomer copolymers.
  • the catalyst system when using the complexes described herein, particularly when they are immobilized on a support, the catalyst system will additionally comprise one or more scavenging compounds.
  • scavenging compound means a compound that removes polar impurities from the reaction environment. These impurities adversely affect catalyst activity and stability.
  • the scavenging compound will be an organometallic compound such as the Group-13 organometallic compounds of US 5,153,157; US 5,241,025; WO 1991/09882; WO 1994/03506; WO 1993/14132; and that of WO 1995/07941.
  • Exemplary compounds include triethyl aluminum, triethyl borane, tri- iso-butyl aluminum, methyl alumoxane, iso-butyl alumoxane, tri-n-octyl aluminum, bis(diisobutylaluminum)oxide, modified methylalumoxane.
  • Useful modified methylalumoxane include cocatalyst type 3A (commercially available from Akzo Chemicals,
  • Those scavenging compounds having bulky or Cg-C2o linear hydrocarbyl substituents connected to the metal or metalloid center usually minimize adverse interaction with the active catalyst.
  • Examples include triethylaluminum, but more preferably, bulky compounds such as tri-iso-butyl aluminum, tri-iso-prenyl aluminum, and long-chain linear alkyl-substituted aluminum compounds, such as tri-n-hexyl aluminum, tri-n-octyl aluminum, or tri-n-dodecyl aluminum.
  • Alumoxanes When alumoxane is used as the activator, any excess over that needed for activation will scavenge impurities and additional scavenging compounds may be unnecessary.
  • the transfer agent such as the aluminum vinyl transfer agent, may also function as a scavenger.
  • two or more catalyst complexes as described herein are combined with a chain transfer agent, such as diethyl zinc or tri-n-octylaluminum, in the same reactor with monomer.
  • a chain transfer agent such as diethyl zinc or tri-n-octylaluminum
  • another catalyst such as a metallocene
  • a chain transfer agent such as diethyl zinc and/or tri-n- octylaluminum
  • the molecular weight of the polymers produced herein is influenced by reactor conditions including temperature, monomer concentration and pressure, the presence of chain terminating agents and the like
  • the homopolymer and copolymer products produced by the present process may have an Mw of about 50,000 to about 2,000,000 g/mol, alternately of about 70,000 to about 600,000 g/mol, or alternately of about 100,000 to about 500,000 g/mol, as determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography.
  • Preferred polymers produced herein are copolymers of at least 30 wt% propylene.
  • the comonomer(s) are present at up to 70 mol%, preferably from 1 to 65 mol%, preferably 5 to 60 mol%.
  • the polymers produced by the process of the invention can be used in a wide variety of products and end-use applications.
  • the propylene polymers produced can be include isotactic polypropylene, atactic polypropylene and random, block or impact copolymers.
  • the polymers of embodiments of the invention may have an M n (number- average molecular weight) value of 12,500 g/mol or more, typically from 12,500 to 1,000,000, or between from 700 to 300,000 g/mol. Additionally, copolymer of embodiments of the invention will comprise a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) in the range of > 1, or > 1.5 to ⁇ 4 or ⁇ 3, preferably from greater than 1 to 4, alternatively from 1.5 to 3.5, alternatively from 2 to 3.
  • Mw/Mn molecular weight distribution
  • polymer produced herein has an Mw of 50,000 up to 2,000,000 g/mol and a g' V i S of 0.97 or less, or 0.95 or less, or 0.90 or less, or 0.85 or less.
  • the polymer produced herein is gel-free. Presence of gel can be detected by dissolving the material in xylene at xylene's boiling temperature (140°C) and measuring the amount of gel present (See ASTM D 5492, except that 140°C is used rather than 20°C). Gel-free product should be dissolved in the xylene.
  • the branched modifier has 5 wt% or less (preferably 4 wt% or less, preferably 3 wt% or less, preferably 2 wt% or less, preferably 1 wt% or less, preferably 0 wt%) of xylene insoluble material.
  • branched propylene-ethylene copolymers and or branched propylene-ethylene-diene monomer copolymers are produced herein.
  • This invention further relates to novel branched propylene based copolymers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene, from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene, from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer, and a remnant of a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, wherein said branched propylene based copolymer: a) has a gVis of less than 0.97; b) is essentially gel free (such as 5 wt% or less of xylene insoluble material); c) has a Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more; and d) has a Mw/Mn of less than 4.0.
  • This invention relates to branched propylene based polymer modifiers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene, from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene, from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer, and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, wherein said branched propylene based polymer modifier preferably has a g' V i S of less than 0.90 (preferably less than 0.85) and a complex viscosity of at least 5000 Pa»s measured at 0.1 rad/sec and a temperature of 190°C.
  • This invention further relates to novel branched propylene based copolymers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene (preferably from 90 to 35 wt% propylene), from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene (preferably from 5 to 65 wt% ethylene), from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer (preferably from 0.1 to 15 wt% diene, alternatively from 0.5 to 10 wt% diene), and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched propylene based copolymer: a) has a g' V i S of less than 0.97 (preferably 0.95 or less, alternatively 0.92 or less, alternatively 0.90 or less, alternatively, 0.88 or less, alternatively 0.85 or less, alternatively 0.80 or less, alternatively
  • This invention also relates to novel branched propylene based polymer modifiers comprising from about 99 to 30 wt% propylene (preferably from 90 to 35 wt% propylene), from 1 to 70 wt% ethylene (preferably from 5 to 65 wt% ethylene), from 0 to 20 wt% diene monomer (preferably from 0.1 to 15 wt% diene, alternatively from 0.5 to 10 wt% diene), and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched propylene based polymer modifier has a g' V i S of less than 0.90 (preferably 0.95 or less, alternatively 0.92 or less, alternatively 0.90 or less, alternatively, 0.88 or less, alternatively 0.85 or less, alternatively 0.80 or less, alternatively 0.70 or less,
  • This invention further relates to novel branched ethylene-propylene copolymers comprising from about 99 to 75 wt% propylene (preferably from 95 to 80 wt% propylene, alternatively from 90 to 85 wt% propylene), from 1 to 25 wt% ethylene (preferably from 5 to 20 wt% ethylene, alternatively 10 to 5 wt% ethylene), and a remnant of a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched ethylene-propylene copolymer preferably: a) has a g' V i S of less than 0.97 (preferably 0.95 or less, alternatively 0.92 or less, alternatively 0.90 or less, alternatively, 0.88 or less, alternatively 0.85 or less, alternatively 0.80 or less, alternatively 0.70 or less, alternatively 0.65 or less);
  • This invention further relates to novel branched ethylene-propylene copolymers comprising from about 99 to 75 wt% propylene (preferably from 95 to 80 wt% propylene, alternatively from 90 to 85 wt% propylene), from 1 to 25 wt% ethylene (preferably from 5 to 20 wt% ethylene, alternatively 10 to 5 wt% ethylene), and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched propylene based polymer modifier preferably has a g' V i S of less than 0.90 (preferably 0.95 or less, alternatively 0.92 or less, alternatively 0.90 or less, alternatively, 0.88 or less, alternatively 0.85 or less, alternatively 0.80 or less, alternatively 0.70 or less, alternatively 0.65 or less); and a complex viscosity
  • This invention further relates to novel branched ethylene-propylene copolymers comprising from about 70 to 25 wt% propylene (preferably from 60 to 30 wt% propylene, alternatively form 50 to 35 wt% propylene, alternatively from 45 to 35 wt% propylene, alternatively from 40 to 35 wt% propylene), from 30 to 75 wt% ethylene (preferably from 40 to 70 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 50 to 65 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 55 to 65 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 60 to 65 wt% ethylene), and a remnant of a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched ethylene-propylene copolymer preferably: a) has a g' V i S of less than 0.97 (preferably 0.
  • This invention further relates to novel branched ethylene-propylene copolymers comprising from about 70 to 25 wt% propylene (preferably from 60 to 30 wt% propylene, alternatively from 50 to 35 wt% propylene, alternatively from 45 to 35 wt% propylene, alternatively from 40 to 35 wt% propylene), from 30 to 75 wt% ethylene (preferably from 40 to 70 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 50 to 65 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 55 to 65 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 60 to 65 wt% ethylene), and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched propylene based polymer modifier preferably has a g' V i S of less than 0.90 (preferably 0.95 or less, alternatively 0.95 or less
  • This invention further relates to novel branched ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers comprising from about 70 to 30 wt% propylene (preferably from 60 to 35 wt% propylene, alternatively from 55 to 40 wt% propylene, alternatively from 55 to 45 wt% propylene), from 30 to 70 wt% ethylene (preferably from 40 to 65 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 45 to 60 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 45 to 55 wt% ethylene), from 1 to 20 wt% diene monomer (preferably from 1 to 15 wt% diene, alternatively from 2 to 10 wt% diene, alternatively from 4 to 10 wt% diene), and a remnant of a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched propylene (preferably from
  • This invention further relates to novel branched ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers comprising from about 70 to 30 wt% propylene (preferably from 60 to 35 wt% propylene, alternatively from 55 to 40 wt% propylene, alternatively from 55 to 45 wt% propylene), from 30 to 70 wt% ethylene (preferably from 40 to 65 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 45 to 60 wt% ethylene, alternatively from 45 to 55 wt% ethylene), from 1 to 20 wt% diene monomer (preferably from 1 to 15 wt% diene, alternatively from 2 to 10 wt% diene, alternatively from 4 to 10 wt% diene), and a remnant of the metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent (preferably from 0.001 to 10 mol%, alternatively from 0.01 to 5 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 2 mol%, alternatively 0.01 to 1 mol%), wherein said branched propylene (preferably from 60
  • the polymers of this invention may be used alone or may be blended and/or coextruded with any other polymer.
  • Non-limiting examples of other polymers include linear low density poly ethylenes, elastomers, plastomers, high pressure low density polyethylene, high density polyethylenes, isotactic polypropylene, ethylene propylene copolymers and the like.
  • Articles made using polymers produced herein may include, for example, molded articles (such as containers and bottles, e.g., household containers, industrial chemical containers, personal care bottles, medical containers, fuel tanks, and storageware, toys, sheets, pipes, tubing) films, non-wovens, and the like. It should be appreciated that the list of applications above is merely exemplary, and is not intended to be limiting.
  • polymers produced by the process of the invention and blends thereof are useful in such forming operations as film, sheet, and fiber extrusion and co- extrusion as well as blow molding, injection molding, roto-molding.
  • Films include blown or cast films formed by coextrusion or by lamination useful as shrink film, cling film, stretch film, sealing film or oriented films.
  • Diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H) was purchased from Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC and used as received. 1,7-octadiene and 1 ,9-decadiene were purchased from Sigma Aldrich and purified by the following procedure prior to use. The diene was purged under nitrogen for 30 minutes and then this was stored over 3A molecular sieves for overnight. Further this was stirred with NaK (sodium-potassium alloy) for overnight and then filtered through basic alumina column prior to use.
  • DIBAL-H Diisobutylaluminum hydride
  • Example 2A 0.446 g of Example 2A and 7.756 g of Example 2B were blended together to make AVTA2.
  • 1,7-Octadiene 250 mL, 1.69 mol was loaded into a round-bottomed flask.
  • Diisobutylaluminum hydride 27.4 mL, 0.153 mol was added dropwise over 20 minutes.
  • the mixture was then placed into a metal block maintained at 117°C. After about 20 minutes the mixture reached 107°C and this temperature was maintained for 125 minutes.
  • the mixture was then cooled to ambient temperature and the volatiles were removed under a stream of nitrogen to afford a nearly colorless oil.
  • the oil was placed under reduced pressure (ca. 60 mTorr) and warmed to 50°C for 30 minutes to remove any trace 1,7-octadiene.
  • the yield was 54.0 g.
  • 1,9-Decadiene (500 mL, 2.71 mol) was loaded into a round-bottomed flask.
  • Diisobutylaluminum hydride (30.2 mL, 0.170 mol) was added dropwise over 15 minutes.
  • the mixture was then placed in a metal block maintained at 110°C. After 30 minutes the solution had stabilized at a temperature of 104°C. The mixture was kept at this temperature for an additional 135 minutes at which time H-NMR spectroscopic data indicated that the reaction had progressed to the desired amount.
  • the mixture was cooled to ambient temperature.
  • the excess 1,9-decadiene was removed by vacuum distillation at 44°C/120 mTorr over a 2.5 hours.
  • the product was further distilled at 50°C/120 mTorr for an additional hour to ensure complete removal of all 1,9-decadiene.
  • the isolated product was a clear colorless oil.
  • the yield was 70.9 g.
  • H-NMR spectroscopic data indicated an average formula of Al(iBu)o.9(decenyl)2.i, with a small amount (ca. 0.2 molar equivalents) of vinylidene containing byproduct, that may be formed by the insertion of 1 ,9-decadiene into an Al- octenyl bond followed by beta hydride elimination.
  • Ethylene and propylene feeds were combined into one stream and then mixed with a pre- chilled isohexane stream that had been cooled to at least 0°C. The mixture was then fed to the reactor through a single line. Solutions of tri-n-octyl aluminum (TNOA) or AVTA was added to the combined solvent and monomer stream just before they entered the reactor. Catalyst solution was fed to the reactor using an ISCO syringe pump through a separated line.
  • TNOA tri-n-octyl aluminum
  • AVTA tri-n-octyl aluminum
  • Isohexane used as solvent
  • monomers e.g., ethylene and propylene
  • Toluene for preparing catalyst solutions was purified by the same technique.
  • the 100 mg of Complex 1 was activated with N,N-dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate at a molar ratio of about 1 : 1 in 900 ml of toluene to form an active catalyst solution.
  • the polymer produced in the reactor exited through a back pressure control valve that reduced the pressure to atmospheric. This caused the unconverted monomers in the solution to flash into a vapor phase which was vented from the top of a vapor liquid separator.
  • the liquid phase comprising mainly polymer and solvent, was collected for polymer recovery.
  • the collected samples were first air-dried in a hood to evaporate most of the solvent, and then dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 90°C for about 12 hours. The vacuum oven dried samples were weighed to obtain yields.
  • ENB was purified in a glove box by passing through a bed of basic alumina under a steady nitrogen gas purge.
  • Aluminum Vinyl Transfer Agent (AVTA) solution was diluted to a concentration of 3.38 x lO 6 mol/ml using isohexane.
  • AVTA3 was prepared as described in Example 3.
  • Isohexane and AVTA solutions were fed using Pulsa pumps and their flow rate was controlled using a pump calibration curve.
  • Purified propylene, and ENB were also fed using Pulsa pumps but their flow rate was controlled using mass-flow controllers.
  • the feed rate of purified ethylene was also regulated using a mass flow controller.
  • Ethylene and propylene combined into a single line before entering a manifold upstream of the reactor.
  • Isohexane, AVTA solution, and ethylene norbornene (ENB) solution lines also combined in a single line before entering the same manifold. The resulting two lines merged further downstream and the combined mixture of monomers and solvent was fed into the reactor using a single tube.
  • Catalyst used in these examples was Complex 1 activated used was N,N- dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate.
  • Composition was controlled by adjusting the feed ratio of the monomers.
  • Two studies were made with both EP and EPDM polymers.
  • the effect of AVTA feed rate on polymer molecular weight was examined by keeping all other feed rates constant and observing the effect of AVTA feed-rate on polymer MFR (or ML).
  • the effect of reactor residence time on the molecular weight of polymer was examined by holding all monomer and AVTA feed rates constant and observing the effect of isohexane (diluent) flow-rate on polymer MFR (or ML).
  • Irganox 1076 was added to the polymer samples as they were collected from the reactor.
  • the polymer samples were then placed on a boiling-water steam table in a hood to evaporate a large fraction of the solvent and unreacted monomers, and then, dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 90°C for about 12 hours. The vacuum oven dried samples were weighed to obtain yields.
  • the ethylene and ENB content of the polymer was determined by FTIR.
  • the monomer conversions were calculated using the polymer yield, composition and the amount of monomers fed into the reactor.
  • Catalyst activity also referred as to catalyst productivity
  • All the reactions were carried out at a gauge pressure of about 2.2 MPa.
  • Melt flow rate (MFR) measurements were made as a proxy for molecular weight for the EP copolymers whereas; Mooney measurements were made to gauge the molecular weight and long-chain branching of the EPDM terpolymers.
  • Mooney Large viscosity (ML) and Mooney Relaxation Area (MLRA) are measured using a Mooney viscometer according to ASTM D-1646, modified as detailed in the following description.
  • an oven-dried polymer sample for Mooney testing is prepared by being pressed into a flat sheet using a hot press at 150°C for 3 minutes, to remove any water, solvent, and unreacted monomers from the sample. After 3 minutes, if there are any visible bubbles/voids, the sheet is folded and pressed again between the hot plates of the hot press for an additional 3 minutes. Once the sample is cooled, about 25g is used for Mooney testing. For Mooney testing, the sample is placed on either side of the rotor.
  • the cavity is filled by pneumatically lowering the upper platen.
  • the upper and lower platens are electrically heated and controlled at 125°C.
  • the torque to turn the rotor at 2 rpm is measured by a torque transducer.
  • Mooney viscometer is operated at an average shear rate of 2 s 1 .
  • the sample is pre-heated for 1 minute after the platens are closed.
  • the motor is then started and the torque is recorded for a period of 4 minutes.
  • the results are reported as ML (1+4) 125°C, where M is the Mooney viscosity number, L denotes large rotor, 1 is the preheating time in minutes, 4 is the sample run time in minutes after the motor starts, and 125°C is the test temperature.
  • the torque limit of the Mooney viscometer is about 100 Mooney units. Mooney viscosity values greater than about 100 Mooney unit cannot generally be measured under these conditions.
  • a non-standard rotor design is employed with a change in Mooney scale that allows the same instrumentation on the Mooney viscometer to be used for more viscous polymers.
  • This rotor that is both smaller in diameter and thinner than the standard Mooney Large (ML) rotor is termed MST— Mooney Small Thin.
  • MST Mooney Large
  • the test is also run at different time and temperature. The pre-heat time is changed from the standard 1 minute to 5 minutes and the test is run at 200°C instead of the standard 125°C.
  • MST MST
  • 200°C the run time of 4 minutes at the end of which the Mooney reading is taken remains the same as the standard conditions.
  • EP 1 519 967 one MST point is approximately 5 ML points when MST is measured at (5+4@200°C) and ML is measured at (1+4@ 125°C).
  • the MST rotor should be prepared as follows:
  • the rotor should have a diameter of 30.48+/-0.03 mm and a thickness of 2.8+/-0.03 mm (tops of serrations) and a shaft of 11 mm or less in diameter.
  • the rotor should have a serrated face and edge, with square grooves of 0.8 mm width and depth of 0.25-0.38 mm cut on 1.6 mm centers.
  • the serrations will consist of two sets of grooves at right angles to each other (form a square Crosshatch).
  • the rotor shall be positioned in the center of the die cavity such that the centerline of the rotor disk coincides with the centerline of the die cavity to within a tolerance of +/-0.25 mm.
  • a spacer or a shim may be used to raise the shaft to the midpoint.
  • the wear point (cone shaped protuberance located at the center of the top face of the rotor) shall be machined off flat with the face of the rotor.
  • the MLRA data is obtained from the Mooney viscosity measurement when the rubber relaxes after the rotor is stopped.
  • the MLRA is the integrated area under the Mooney torque-relaxation time curve from 1 to 100 seconds.
  • the MLRA is a measure of chain relaxation in molten polymer and can be regarded as a stored energy term which suggests that, after the removal of an applied strain, the longer or branched polymer chains can store more energy and require longer time to relax.
  • the MLRA value of a bimodal rubber (the presence of a discrete polymeric fraction with very high molecular weight and distinct composition) or a long chain branched rubber are larger than a broad or a narrow molecular weight rubber when compared at the same Mooney viscosity values.
  • Mooney Relaxation Area is dependent on the Mooney viscosity of the polymer, and increases with increasing Mooney viscosity.
  • a corrected MLRA (cMLRA) parameter is used, where the MLRA of the polymer is normalized to a reference of 80 Mooney viscosity.
  • the ratio MLRA/ML may be used to encompass both the MLRA and ML data, in view of MLRA's dependence upon ML. This ratio has the dimension of time. A higher MLRA/ML number signifies a higher degree of melt elasticity for materials with similar value of ML. Long chain branching will slow down the relaxation of the polymer chain, hence increasing the value of MLRA/ML.
  • Unsaturated Chain Ends The number of vinyl chain ends, vinylidene chain ends and vinylene chain ends is determined using 3 ⁇ 4 NMR using l,l,2,2-tetrachloroethane-d2 as the solvent on an at least 400 MHz NMR spectrometer. Proton NMR data is collected at 120°C in a 5 mm probe using a Varian spectrometer with a 3 ⁇ 4 frequency of at least 400 MHz. Data was recorded using a maximum pulse width of 45°, 5 seconds between pulses and signal averaging 120 transients. Spectral signals were integrated and the number of unsaturation types per 1000 carbons was calculated by multiplying the different groups by 1000 and dividing the result by the total number of carbons.
  • the chain end unsaturations are measured as follows.
  • the vinyl resonances of interest are between from 5.0 to 5.1 ppm (VRA), the vinylidene resonances between from 4.65 to 4.85 ppm (VDRA), the vinylene resonances from 5.31 to 5.55 ppm (VYRA), the trisubstituted unsaturated species from 5.11 to 5.30 ppm (TSRA) and the aliphatic region of interest between from 0 to 2.1 ppm (IA).
  • the number of vinyl groups/1000 Carbons is determined from the formula: (VRA * 500) / ((IA +VRA + VYRA + VDRA)/2) + TSRA).
  • the number of vinylidene groups / 1000 Carbons is determined from the formula: (VDRA * 500 ) / ((IA +VRA + VYRA + VDRA)/2) + TSRA), the number of vinylene groups / 1000 Carbons from the formula (VYRA * 500 ) / ((IA +VRA + VYRA + VDRA)/2) 25 + TSRA) and the number of trisubstituted groups from the formula (TSRA * 1000 ) / ((IA +VRA + VYRA + VDRA)/2) + TSRA).
  • VRA, VDRA, VYRA, TSRA and IA are the integrated normalized signal intensities in the chemical shift regions defined above.
  • Vinyl chain ends are reported as a molar percentage of the total number of moles of unsaturated polymer end-groups (that is, the sum of vinyl chain ends, vinylidene chain ends, vinylene chain ends, and trisubstituted olefinic chain ends).
  • the calculation of number of vinyl chain ends should be modified. For instance, when a polymer contains ENB, vinyl chain ends are reported as a molar percentage of the total number of moles of the sum of vinyl chain ends, vinylidene chain ends, and vinylene chain ends. That is, trisubstituted olefinic chain ends are excluded when calculating the molar percentage. This is because of the overlap with the exocyclic olefinic region of ENB. Similar types of corrections are required when other dienes are used as monomers, as will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
  • the vinyl chain end calculation may include the sum of all of the above types of groups (vinyl, vinylidene, vinylene, and trisubstituted groups).
  • Molecular Weight Molecular weights (number average molecular weight (Mn), weight average molecular weight (Mw), and z-average molecular weight (Mz)) are determined using a Polymer Laboratories Model 220 high temperature GPC-SEC (gel permeation/size exclusion chromatograph) equipped with on-line differential refractive index (DRI), light scattering (LS), and viscometer (VIS) detectors. It uses three Polymer Laboratories PLgel 10 m Mixed-B columns for separation using a flow rate of 0.54 ml/min and a nominal injection volume of 300 microliter. The detectors and columns were contained in an oven maintained at 135°C.
  • Mn number average molecular weight
  • Mw weight average molecular weight
  • Mz z-average molecular weight
  • the stream emerging from the SEC columns was directed into the miniDAWN optical flow cell and then into the DRI detector.
  • the DRI detector was an integral part of the Polymer Laboratories SEC.
  • the viscometer was inside the SEC oven, positioned after the DRI detector. The details of these detectors as well as their calibrations have been described by, for example, T. Sun et al., in Macromolecules, Volume 34, Number 19, pp. 6812-6820, (2001), incorporated herein by reference.
  • Solvent for the SEC experiment was prepared by dissolving 6 grams of butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) as an antioxidant in 4 liters of Aldrich reagent grade 1, 2, 4- trichlorobenzene (TCB). The TCB mixture was then filtered through a 0.7 micrometer glass pre-f ilter and subsequently through a 0.1 micrometer Teflon filter. The TCB was then degassed with an online degasser before entering the SEC. Polymer solutions were prepared by placing dry polymer in a glass container, adding the desired amount of BHT stabilized TCB, then heating the mixture at 160°C with continuous agitation for about 2 hours. All quantities were measured gravimetrically.
  • BHT butylated hydroxy toluene
  • TCB Aldrich reagent grade 1, 2, 4- trichlorobenzene
  • the TCB densities used to express the polymer concentration in mass/volume units are 1.463 g/mL at 22°C and 1.324 g/mL at 135°C.
  • the injection concentration was from 1.0 to 2.0 mg/mL, with lower concentrations being used for higher molecular weight samples.
  • the DRI detector and the injector Prior to running each sample the DRI detector and the injector were purged. Flow rate in the apparatus was then increased to 0.5 mL/minute, and the DRI is allowed to stabilize for 8 to 9 hours before injecting the first sample.
  • the concentration, c, at each point in the chromatogram is calculated from the baseline-subtracted DRI signal, IDRI, using the following equation:
  • KDRI is a constant determined by calibrating the DRI with a series of mono-dispersed polystyrene standards with molecular weight ranging from 600 to 10M
  • (dn/dc) is the refractive index increment for the system.
  • (dn/dc) 0.1048 for ethylene-propylene copolymers
  • (dn/dc) 0.01048 - 0.0016£NS for EPDM
  • ENB is the ENB content in wt% in the ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.
  • the ENB is taken as weight percent of total non-conjugated polyenes.
  • the value (dn/dc) is otherwise taken as 0.1 for other polymers and copolymers. Units of parameters used throughout this description of the SEC method are: concentration is expressed in g/cm 3 , molecular weight is expressed in g/mol, and intrinsic viscosity is expressed in dL/g. [00246]
  • the light scattering (LS) detector was a high temperature miniDAWN (Wyatt Technology, Inc.).
  • the primary components are an optical flow cell, a 30 mW, 690 nm laser diode light source, and an array of three photodiodes placed at collection angles of 45°, 90°, and 135°.
  • M molecular weight
  • AR(6) is the measured excess Rayleigh scattering intensity at scattering angle ⁇
  • c is the polymer concentration determined from the DRI analysis
  • ⁇ ( ⁇ ) is the form factor for a mono-disperse random coil
  • K 0 is the optical constant for the system:
  • NA Avogadro's number
  • (dn/dc) the refractive index increment for the system.
  • LS measurements should be used for Mw and Mz, while DRI measurements should be used for Mn.
  • Branching Index A high temperature viscometer from Viscotek Corporation was used to determine specific viscosity.
  • the viscometer has four capillaries arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration with two pressure transducers. One transducer measures the total pressure drop across the detector, and the other, positioned between the two sides of the bridge, measures a differential pressure.
  • the specific viscosity, n s for the solution flowing through the viscometer was calculated from their outputs.
  • the intrinsic viscosity, [ ⁇ ] at each point in the chromatogram was calculated from the following equation:
  • the branching index (g'vis) is defined as the ratio of the intrinsic viscosity of the branched polymer to the intrinsic viscosity of a linear polymer of equal molecular weight and same composition, and was calculated using the output of the SEC-DRI-LS-VIS method as follows.
  • ]av g , of the sample was calculated by:
  • the branching index g'vis is defined as:
  • the intrinsic viscosity of the linear polymer of equal molecular weight and same composition is calculated using Mark-Houwink equation, where the K and a are determined based on the composition of linear ethylene/propylene copolymer and linear ethylene- propylene-diene terpolymers using a standard calibration procedure.
  • M v is the viscosity- average molecular weight based on molecular weights determined by LS analysis. See Macromolecules, 2001, 34, pp. 6812-6820 and Macromolecules, 2005, 38, pp. 7181-7183, regarding selecting a linear standard having similar molecular weight and comonomer content, and determining k coefficients and a exponents.
  • Comonomer Content (such as for ethylene, butene, hexene, and octene) content is determined using FTIR according the ASTM D3900 and is not corrected for diene content.
  • ENB content is determined using FTIR according to ASTM D6047. The content of other dienes is obtained using C 13 NMR.
  • 13C NMR The 13 C solution NMR was performed on a 10 mm broadband probe using a field of at least 400 MHz in tetrachloroethane-d2 solvent at 120°C with a flip angle of 90° and full NOE with decoupling.
  • Sample preparation (polymer dissolution) was performed at 140°C where 0.20 grams of polymer was dissolved in an appropriate amount of solvent to give a final polymer solution volume of 3 ml. Chemical shifts were referenced by setting the ethylene backbone (-C3 ⁇ 4-)n (where n>6) signal to 29.98 ppm.
  • Carbon NMR spectroscopy was used to measure the composition of the reactor products as submitted.
  • MFR Melt flow rate
  • the transient uniaxial extensional viscosity was measured using a SER-2-A Testing Platform available from Xpansion Instruments LLC, Tallmadge, Ohio, USA.
  • the SER Testing Platform was used on a Rheometrics ARES-LS (RSA3) strain-controlled rotational rheometer available from TA Instruments Inc., New Castle, Del., USA.
  • the SER Testing Platform is described in US 6,578,413 and US 6,691,569, which are incorporated herein for reference.
  • a general description of transient uniaxial extensional viscosity measurements is provided, for example, in "Strain hardening of various polyolefins in uniaxial elongational flow", The Society of Rheology, Inc., J. Rheol.
  • a strain hardening ratio (SHR) is used to characterize the upswing in extensional viscosity and is defined as the ratio of the maximum transient extensional viscosity over three times the value of the transient zero-shear-rate viscosity at the same strain. Strain hardening is present in the material when the ratio is greater than 1.
  • compositions, an element or a group of elements are preceded with the transitional phrase “comprising,” it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition or group of elements with transitional phrases “consisting essentially of,” “consisting of,” “selected from the group of consisting of,” or “is” preceding the recitation of the composition, element, or elements and vice versa.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne l'utilisation de complexes de métaux de transition pyridyldiamido et/ou quinolinyldiamido et de systèmes catalyseurs comprenant un activateur et un agent de transfert de chaîne hydrocarbylique métallique, tel qu'un agent de transfert de vinyle aluminium (A VTA), de manière à produire des polymères de propylène ramifiés, de préférence des copolymères de propylène-éthylène ou des copolymères de propylène-éthylène-diène.
PCT/US2018/013514 2017-02-28 2018-01-12 Polymères de propylène ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert de vinyle et leurs procédés de production WO2018160277A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201762464939P 2017-02-28 2017-02-28
US62/464,939 2017-02-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2018160277A1 true WO2018160277A1 (fr) 2018-09-07

Family

ID=63370203

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2018/013514 WO2018160277A1 (fr) 2017-02-28 2018-01-12 Polymères de propylène ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert de vinyle et leurs procédés de production
PCT/US2018/019976 WO2018160575A1 (fr) 2017-02-28 2018-02-27 Polymères d'epdm ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert vinyliques et leurs procédés de production

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2018/019976 WO2018160575A1 (fr) 2017-02-28 2018-02-27 Polymères d'epdm ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert vinyliques et leurs procédés de production

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (2) WO2018160277A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11198745B2 (en) * 2018-11-29 2021-12-14 Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc. Poly(alpha-olefin)s and methods thereof

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007035492A1 (fr) * 2005-09-15 2007-03-29 Dow Global Technologies Inc. Copolymeres blocs olefiniques catalytiques obtenus par l'intermediaire d'un agent navette polymerisable
EP2436703A1 (fr) * 2010-09-30 2012-04-04 Dow Global Technologies LLC Copolymères de bloc d'oléfine à architecture en peigne
US20150141590A1 (en) * 2013-11-15 2015-05-21 Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc. Process to Produce Polymers from Pyridyldiamido Transition Metal Complexes and Use Thereof
WO2016102690A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-30 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Procédé de préparation d'une polyoléfine ramifiée
WO2017039993A1 (fr) * 2015-08-31 2017-03-09 Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc. Polymères produits au moyen d'agents de transfert vinyliques

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3891905B2 (ja) * 2002-08-28 2007-03-14 日本ポリプロ株式会社 末端ビニル基含有プロピレン−アルケニルアルミニウム共重合体の製造方法および共重合体
CN101503487B (zh) * 2009-03-04 2011-02-09 中国石油天然气股份有限公司 一种含ivb族金属烯烃聚合催化剂及其制备方法与应用
US20120016092A1 (en) * 2010-07-14 2012-01-19 Sandor Nagy Catalysts based on quinoline precursors
WO2014137927A1 (fr) * 2013-03-06 2014-09-12 Exxonmobil Chemical Patens Inc. Transfert de chaîne réversible lors de la polymérisation de polyoléfines faisant appel à des catalyseurs de pyridyldiamide

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007035492A1 (fr) * 2005-09-15 2007-03-29 Dow Global Technologies Inc. Copolymeres blocs olefiniques catalytiques obtenus par l'intermediaire d'un agent navette polymerisable
EP2436703A1 (fr) * 2010-09-30 2012-04-04 Dow Global Technologies LLC Copolymères de bloc d'oléfine à architecture en peigne
US20150141590A1 (en) * 2013-11-15 2015-05-21 Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc. Process to Produce Polymers from Pyridyldiamido Transition Metal Complexes and Use Thereof
WO2016102690A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-30 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Procédé de préparation d'une polyoléfine ramifiée
WO2017039993A1 (fr) * 2015-08-31 2017-03-09 Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc. Polymères produits au moyen d'agents de transfert vinyliques

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2018160575A1 (fr) 2018-09-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US10829569B2 (en) Polymers produced via use of vinyl transfer agents
US10618988B2 (en) Branched propylene polymers produced via use of vinyl transfer agents and processes for production thereof
US8993702B2 (en) Enhanced catalyst performance for production of vinyl terminated propylene and ethylene/propylene macromers
US10626200B2 (en) Branched EPDM polymers produced via use of vinyl transfer agents and processes for production thereof
US10995170B2 (en) Branched ethylene copolymers produced via use of vinyl transfer agents and processes for production thereof
US9422385B2 (en) Polyethylene copolymers with vinyl terminated macromonomers as comonomers
US10562987B2 (en) Polymers produced via use of quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes and vinyl transfer agents
CN112513110B (zh) 作为粘度改性剂的乙烯-丙烯线性共聚物
US10465022B2 (en) Ethylene-propylene copolymeric compositions with long methylene sequence lengths
EP3274353A1 (fr) Complexes de métaux de transition bisphénolatés, production et utilisation associées
CN112236505A (zh) 具有增强的燃料经济性的作为粘度改性剂的乙烯-丙烯支化共聚物
EP4103629A1 (fr) Compositions de polyéthylène obtenues à l'aide de complexes de catalyseur de bis(phénolate) de métal de transition et procédé homogène pour la production de celles-ci
WO2014120478A1 (fr) Copolymères de polyéthylène ayant des macromonomères à terminaison vinyle comme comonomères
US9376512B2 (en) Production of vinyl terminated polyethylene
US11041035B2 (en) Process to produce long-chain branched polyolefins using dienes
WO2018160277A1 (fr) Polymères de propylène ramifiés produits par l'utilisation d'agents de transfert de vinyle et leurs procédés de production
WO2018022279A1 (fr) Ligands phénolate, complexes de métaux de transition, leur production et leur utilisation
US20230148328A1 (en) Syndiotactic propylene-based ethylene- propylene copolymers
WO2018160276A1 (fr) Polymères produits par l'utilisation de complexes de métaux de transition quinolinyldiamido et d'agents de transfert de vinyle
WO2019173129A1 (fr) Procédé amélioré de production de polyoléfines ramifiées à longue chaîne à l'aide de diènes
WO2022035585A1 (fr) Compositions polymères contenant un cycle obtenues à l'aide de complexes de catalyseur de bis(phénolate) de métal de transition et procédé de production associé
CN114787202A (zh) 乙烯共聚物及作为粘度改性剂的用途
EP3490998A1 (fr) Ligands phénolate, complexes de métaux de transition, leur production et leur utilisation

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 18761940

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 18761940

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1