Catalyst compositions and use thereof

A compound represented by the formula:

• wherein
• the dotted line indicates a dative bond;
• M is a group 4 metal;
• each J is, independently, Si or Ge, provided that when z is 2 or more, one JR*s may be CR*2;
• z is a number from 1 to 12, provided that when z is 2, the two JR*2 groups may be connected by a heteroatom, X*, to form a group represented by the formula R*2J-X*-JR*2;
• each R* is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C2 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any adjacent R* groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated;
• and
• each X is, independently, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, a hydride, an amide, an alkoxide, a sulfide, a phosphide, a halide, an amine, a phosphine, an ether, a combination thereof, or two X's may form a part of a fused ring or a ring system;
• each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, and R16 is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any of adjacent R groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated.

A compound represented by the formula:

• wherein
• the dotted line indicates a dative bond;
• M is a group 4 metal;
• each X is, independently, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, a hydride, an amide, an alkoxide, a sulfide, a phosphide,
• a halide, an amine, a phosphine, an ether, a combination thereof, or two X's may form a part of a fused ring or a ring system;
• each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, and R16 is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any of adjacent R groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated;
• and
• the (JR*2)z group comprises one or more of is dicyclohexylsilyl, diphenylsilyl, di3′,5′-di-tert-butylphenylsilyl, dicarbazolylsilyl, difluorenlylsilyl, cyclobutylsilyl, dicyclobutylsilyl, dicyclohexylgermyl, diphenylgermyl, di3′,5′-di-tert-butylphenylgermyl, dicarbazolylgermyl difluorenlylgermyl, cyclobutylgermyl, dicyclobutylgermyl, (dicyclohexylsilyl)2, (diphenylsilyl)2, (di3′,5′-di-tert-butylphenylsilyl)2, (dicarbazolylsilyl))2, (difluorenlylsilyl)2, (cyclobutylsilyl)2, (dicyclobutylsilyl)2, (dicyclohexylgermyl)2, (diphenylgermyl)2, (di3′,5′-di-tert-butylphenylgermyl)2, (dicarbazolylgermyl)2, (difluorenlylgermyl)2, (cyclobutylgermyl)2, and (dicyclobutylgermyl)2.

A catalyst system comprising activator and a compound represented by the formula:

• wherein
• the dotted line indicates a dative bond;
• M is Hf or Zr;
• each J is, independently, Si or Ge, provided that when z is 2 or more one JR*s may be CR*2;
• z is a number from 1 to 12, provided that when z is 2, the two JR*2 groups may be connected by a heteroatom, X*, to form a group represented by the formula R*2J-X*-JR*2;
• each R* is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C2 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any adjacent R* groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated;
• and
• each X is, independently, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, a hydride, an amide, an alkoxide, a sulfide, a phosphide, a halide, an amine, a phosphine, an ether, a combination thereof, or two X's may form a part of a fused ring or a ring system;
• and
• each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, and R16 is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any of adjacent R groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated.

A process to polymerize olefins comprising contacting one or more olefins with a catalyst system comprising activator and a compound represented by the formula:

• wherein
• the dotted line indicates a dative bond;
• M is a group 4 metal;
• each J is, independently, Si or Ge, provided that when z is 2 or more one JR*s may be CR*2;
• z is a number from 1 to 12, provided that when z is 2, the two JR*2 groups may be connected by a heteroatom, X*, to form a group represented by the formula R*2J-X*-JR*2;
• each R* is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C2 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any adjacent R* groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated;
• and
• each X is, independently, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, a hydride, an amide, an alkoxide, a sulfide, a phosphide, a halide, an amine, a phosphine, an ether, a combination thereof, or two X's may form a part of a fused ring or a ring system;
• each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, and R16 is, independently, hydrogen, a substituted C1 to C40 hydrocarbyl group, a C1 to C40 unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or a heteroatom, provided that any of adjacent R groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring system where the rings may be aromatic, partially saturated or saturated.