Sterically hindered phosphino-urea supported nickel (II) or palladium (II) catalysts for the copolymerization of ethylene and polar comonomers

A procatalyst 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, —N(Si(RC)3)2, —NRCSi(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, —C(O)RC, —C(O)H—N(RC)C(O)RC, —N(RC)C(O)H, —NHC(O)RC, —NHC(O)H, —C(O)N(RC)2, C(O)NHRC, —C(O)NH2, a halogen, or a hydrogen, wherein:
• each RC is independently (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl or (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl and is optionally substituted with one or more RS,
• Q is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• and
• W is 0, 1, or 2;
• Y is a Lewis base optionally covalently connected to X;
• R1 and R2 are chosen from (C6-C40) aryl or (C1-C40) heteroaryl and are optionally substituted with one or more R8;
• R3 and R4 are independently selected from radicals having formula (II):
• where:
• R11, R12, R13, R14, and R15 are independently (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, —ORN, —NRN2, —SRN, halogen or —H, where each RN is (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, provided that at least one of R11 and R15 is not-H;
• each RC in formula (I) is independently a (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, or —H;
• and
• each R8 in formula (I) is independently (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl or halogen.