Heterocycle-heterocycle-based group IV transition metal catalysts for olefin polymerization

A polymerization process comprising:

• polymerizing ethylene and one or more olefins in the presence of a catalyst system under olefin polymerization conditions to form an ethylene-based polymer, the catalyst system comprising a metal-ligand complex according to formula (I):
• where:
• M is a metal chosen from titanium, zirconium, or hafnium, the metal having a formal oxidation state of +2, +3, or +4;
• each X is a monodentate or bidentate ligand independently chosen from unsaturated (C2-C20)hydrocarbon, unsaturated (C2-C50)heterohydrocarbon, (C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, (C6-C50)aryl, (C6-C50)heteroaryl, cyclopentadienyl, substituted cyclopentadienyl, (C4-C12)diene, halogen, —N(RN)2, and —NCORC;
• m is 1 or 2;
• n is 2 or 3;
• m+n=4;
• each A is independently chosen from —C(R3a)C(R4a)C(R5a)C(R6a)—, —C(R3a)C(R4a)C(R5a)N—, —C(R3a)C(R4a)NC(R6a)—, —C(R3a)NC(R5a)C(R6a)—, —NC(R4a)C(R5a)C(R6a)— or —NC(R4a)NC(R6a)—, in which optionally R3a and R4a, or R4a and R5a, or R5a and R6a are covalently connected to form an aromatic ring or a non-aromatic ring, or —C(R3b)C(R4b)G- or -GC(R4c)C(R5c)—, wherein G is N(R3c), N(R5b), O or S, and optionally R3b and R4b, or R4c and R5c are covalently connected to form an aromatic ring or a non-aromatic ring, and;
• each z1 is independently selected from N or C(R1);
• each z2 is independently selected from N or C(R2);
• each R11 is anthracene-9-yl substituted with RS or more than one RS, wherein each RS is independently selected from (C1-C12)alkyl, (C6-C15)aryl, or (C3-C12)cycloalkyl;
• each R1, R2, R3a, R3b, R3c, R4a, R4b, R4c, R5a, R5b, R5c, and R6a is independently selected from the group consisting of (C1-C50) hydrocarbyl, (C1-C50) heterohydrocarbyl, (C6-C50) aryl, (C4-C50) heteroaryl, —Si(RC)3, —Ge(RC)3, —P(RP)2, —N(RN)2, —ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, RCS(O)—, —P(O)(RP)2, RCS(O)2—, (RC)2C═N—, RCC(O)O—, RCOC(O)—, RCC(O)N(R)—, (RC)2NC(O)—, halogen, and —H, wherein each RN, RC, and RP is independently selected from the group consisting of (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl, and —H;
• when z1 is C(R1), R1 and R11 are not linked to form an aromatic ring or a non-aromatic ring:
• when z2 is C(R1) and z2 is C(R2), R1 and R2 are optionally linked to form an aromatic ring or a non-aromatic ring:
• provided that:
• when z1 is CR1 and z2 is CR2, where R1 and R2 are not covalently connected to form an aromatic ring or a non-aromatic ring, m is 1 and n is 3.