Sterically hindered phosphine-amide 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, —H, —CH2Si(RC)3-Q (ORC)Q, —Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —OSi(RC)3-Q(OR)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, or a halogen, wherein each RC is independently (C1-C30) hydrocarbyl optionally substituted with one or more RS or (C1-C30) heterohydrocarbyl optionally substituted with one or more RS, wherein subscript Q is 0, 1, 2, or 3, and wherein subscript W is 0, 1, or 2;
• Y is a Lewis base;
• optionally, Y and X are covalently connected;
• R1 is chosen from unsubstituted (C6-C40) aryl, substituted (C6-C40) aryl, unsubstituted (C1-C40) heteroaryl having its radical on a carbon atom, substituted (C1-C40) heteroaryl having its radical on a carbon atom, or substituted (C4-C20)alkyl having at least one tertiary carbon atom and its radical on the tertiary carbon atom of the (C4-C20)alkyl, provided that:
• R2 and R3 are independently selected from radicals having formula (II):
• where:
• each R11, R12, R13, R14, and R15 are independently, (C1-C30) hydrocarbyl, (C1-C30) heterohydrocarbyl, —ORN, —NRN2, —SRN, halogen, or —H, where RN is (C1-C30) hydrocarbyl;
• provided that at least one of R11 and R15 is not-H;
• and
• each RS in formula (I) is independently (C1-C20) hydrocarbyl or halogen.