Bis(phosphino)-phenoxy nickel(II) catalysts for the copolymerization of ethylene and acrylate monomers

A catalyst system comprising a procatalyst having a structure according to formula (I):

• where:
• M is nickel (II) or palladium (II);
• X is a ligand chosen from (C1-C40)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C40)heterohydrocarbyl, —CH2Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —OSi(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —Ge(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —P(RC)2-W(ORC)W, —P(O)(RC)2-W(ORC)W, —N(RC)2, —NH(RC), —N(Si(RC)3)2, —NRCSi(RC)3, —NHSi(RC)3, —ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, —OCF3, —S(O)RC, —S(O)2RC, —OS(O)2RC, —N═C(RC)2, —N═CH(RC), —N═CH2, —N═P(RC)3, —OC(O)RC, —C(O)ORC, —N(RC)C(O)RC, —N(RC)C(O)H, —NHC(O)RC, —C(O)N(RC)2, —C(O)NHRC, —C(O)NH2, a halogen, or a hydrogen, wherein each RC is independently a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, and Q is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and W is 0, 1, or 2;
• each Y is a Lewis base, wherein X and Y are optionally linked;
• Z1, Z2, Z3 independently are C(RZ) or nitrogen, wherein each RZ is independently substituted (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, unsubstituted (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, substituted (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, unsubstituted (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, —CH2Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —OSi(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —Ge(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —P(RC)2-W(ORC)W, —P(O)(RC)2-W(ORC)W, —N(RC)2, —NH(RC), —N(Si(RC)3)2, —NRCSi(RC)3, —NHSi(RC)3, —ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, —OCF3, —S(O)RC, —S(O)2RC, —OS(O)2RC, —N═C(RC)2, —N═CH(RC), —N═CH2, —N═P(RC)3, —OC(O) RC, —C(O) ORC, —N(RC)C(O) RC, —C(O)N(RC)2, —N(RC)C(O)H, —NHC(O)RC, —C(O)N(RC)2, —C(O)NHRC, —C(O)NH2, a halogen, or a hydrogen, wherein Q is 0, 1, 2 or 3, W is 0, 1 or 2, and each RC is independently a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, or hydrogen;
• provided that at least one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 is C(RZ);
• R1, R2, R3, and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of a (C1-C50)hydrocarbyl and (C1-C50)heterohydrocarbyl;
• when both Z1 and Z2 are C(RZ), optionally respective groups RZ are linked to form a ring structure;
• when both Z2 and Z3 are C(RZ), optionally respective groups RZ are linked to form a ring structure;
• when all of Z1, Z2, and Z3 are C(RZ), optionally respective groups RZ are linked to form a multi-ring structure;
• optionally, R1 and R2 are linked to form a ring structure;
• and
• optionally, R3 and R4 are linked to form a ring structure.