Claims
- 1. A method of polymerizing an .alpha.-olefin comprising heating said .alpha.-olefin in the presence of a catalyst having the general formula ##STR14## where Q is a ligand containing the ring ##STR15## R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, N(R').sub.2, OR', and R', each R' is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, aryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.15, alkaryl from C.sub.7 to C.sub.15, and aralkyl from C.sub.7 to C.sub.15, each X is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkoxy from C.sub.1 to C .sub.10, dialkylamino from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, methyl, ##STR16## each R.sub.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkoxy from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, and R', L is selected from the group consisting of ##STR17## Q, and X, where L can be bridged to Q, B.sub.L is an optional Lewis base, "n" is 0 to 5, and M is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said .alpha.-olefin is further heated in the presence of an organometallic co-catalyst.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the co-catalyst is either methylalumoxane or polymethylalumoxane or an aluminum alkyl of the formula AlR'.sub.x (R.sub.2).sub.3-x, wherein R' is selected from the group consisting of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.6 to C.sub.15 aryl, a C.sub.7 to C.sub.15 alkaryl, and a C.sub.7 to C.sub.15 aralkyl, 1 .ltoreq.x.ltoreq.3, and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halide, or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl or alkoxide group.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the co-catalyst is triethylaluminum or ethylaluminum dichloride.
- 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the co-catalyst is methylalumoxane or polymethylalumoxane.
- 6. The method of claim 2 wherein the .alpha.-olefin is polymerized in a solvent in which both the catalyst and co-catalyst are soluble.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the .alpha.-olefin is polymerized in a solvent in which both the catalyst and co-catalyst are soluble.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the solvent is toluene, xylene, benzene, or ethylbenzene.
- 9. The method of claim 2 wherein the mole ratio of the organometallic co-catalyst to catalyst is about 0.01:1 to about 100,000:1.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the mole ratio of the organometallic co-catalyst to catalyst is about 1:1 to about 10,000:1.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the .alpha.-olefin is further polymerized in the presence of an acid salt that contains a non-coordinating inert anion.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the acid salt is a non-nucleophilic compound consisting of bulky ligands attached to a boron or aluminum atom.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the acid salt is lithium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, lithium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)aluminate, anilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, or a mixture thereof.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the mole ratio of acid salt to catalyst is about 0.01:1 to about 1000:1.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the mole ratio of acid salt to catalyst is about 1:1 to about 10:1.
- 16. The method of claim 1 wherein the .alpha.-olefin is ethylene.
- 17. The method of claim 1 wherein the .alpha.-olefin is a mixture of ethylene and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
- 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is selected from the group consisting of propylene, 1-butylene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1,3-butadiene, 1,4-hexadiene, 1,5-hexadiene, norbornene, ethylidene norbornene and vinyl norbornene.
- 19. The method of claim 1 wherein each X is chlorine or a methyl group.
- 20. The method of claim 1 wherein L is cyclopentadienyl or chlorine.
- 21. The method of claim 1 wherein Q is ##STR18## and R is --N(R').sub.2 or phenyl.
- 22. The method of claim 1 wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of ##STR19## wherein "m" is 0 to 7, or ##STR20## wherein "m" is 0 to 9.
- 23. A method of polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which comprises heating said ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the presence of a catalyst of the general formula ##STR21## where Q is a ligand containing the ring ##STR22## R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, N(R').sub.2, OR', and R', each R' is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, aryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.15, alkaryl from C.sub.7 to C.sub.15, and aralkyl from C.sub.7 to C.sub.15, each X is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkoxy from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, dialkylamino from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, methyl, ##STR23## each R.sub.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkoxy from C.sub.1 to C.sub.10, and R', L is selected from the group consisting of ##STR24## Q, and X, where L can be bridged to Q, B.sub.L is an optional Lewis base, "n" is 0 to 5, and M is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium.
- 24. A method of polymerizing monomer that comprises ethylene or a mixture of ethylene and a monomer copolymerizable therewith comprising heating said monomer in the presence of a catalyst having the general formula ##STR25## where Q is bora-benzene, bora-naphthalene, or bora-anthracene, or phenyl, each X is independently selected from chlorine or methyl, L is Q, cyclopentadienyl, or chlorine, where L can be bridged to Q, and B.sub.L is an optional Lewis base.
- 25. The method of claim 24 wherein said catalyst comprises .beta.-dimethylaminoborobenzene cyclopentadienylzirconium dichloride or cyclopentadienyl (9-mesitylboraanthracenyl) zirconium dichloride.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/373,814, filed Jan. 17, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,775.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5457171 |
Langhauser et al. |
Oct 1995 |
|
5468889 |
Srebnik et al. |
Nov 1995 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Article: "Borabenzene Derivatives. 21..sup.1 2,4-Penta-Dienylboranes as Key Intermediates of a Novel Route to Boracyclohexadienes and Boratabenzenes," Structure of [Li(TMPDA)] (C.sub.5 H.sub.5 BNMe.sub.2), by Gerhard E. Herberich et al., Organometallics, 1993, pp. 2891-2893. |
Structure of [Li(TMPOA)] (C.sub.5 H.sub.5 BNMe.sub.2), by Gerhard E. Herberich et al., Organometallics, 1993, pp. 2891-2893. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
373814 |
Jan 1995 |
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