Methods for preparing catalyst precursor materials

A method, comprising:

• reacting an organolithium reagent and a halogenated alkane in a first reaction zone in the presence of at least one solvent to form a first solution;
• continuously adding the first solution and a second solution to a second reaction zone, thereby reacting the organolithium reagent, the halogenated alkane, and a dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid, wherein the second solution comprises the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid and at least one solvent;
• and
• mixing the first solution and the second solution in the second reaction zone, thereby further reacting the organolithium reagent, the halogenated alkane, and the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid, wherein the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid comprises dichlorodiisopropylsilane, di-tert-butyldichlorosilane, dichlorodiphenylsilane, dichlorodiisopropylgermane, di-tert-butyldichlorogermane, dichlorodiphenylgermane, or combinations thereof.

A method of forming a catalyst precursor material, comprising:

• reacting a halogenated alkane and a dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid in a first reaction zone in the presence of at least one solvent to form a first solution;
• adding the first solution and a second solution as continuous streams to a second reaction zone, thereby reacting the halogenated alkane, the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid, and a organolithium reagent and forming a catalyst precursor material, wherein the second solution comprises at least one solvent and the organolithium reagent;
• mixing the first solution and the second solution in the second reaction zone contemporaneously with continued addition of the first solution and the second solution as continuous streams, thereby further reacting the halogenated alkane, the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid, and the organolithium reagent and forming additional catalyst precursor material;
• and
• producing at least a portion of the catalyst precursor material from the second reaction zone contemporaneously with the continued addition of the first solution and second solution to the second reaction zone, wherein:
• the first solution and the second solution are added as continuous streams to the second reaction zone for a period of greater than 20 hours, and
• the first reaction zone and the second reaction zone have a temperature from 0° C. to −90° C.

A method of forming a catalyst precursor material, comprising:

• reacting an organolithium reagent and a halogenated alkane in a first reaction zone in the presence of at least one solvent to form a first solution;
• adding the first solution and a second solution as continuous streams to a second reaction zone, thereby reacting the organolithium reagent, the halogenated alkane, and a dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid and forming a catalyst precursor material, wherein the second solution comprises the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid and at least one solvent;
• mixing the first solution and the second solution in the second reaction zone contemporaneously with continued addition of the first solution and the second solution as continuous streams, thereby further reacting the organolithium reagent, the halogenated alkane, and the dihalo-substituted-group-14 metalloid and forming additional catalyst precursor material;
• and
• producing at least a portion of the catalyst precursor material from the second reaction zone contemporaneously with the continued addition of the first solution and second solution to the second reaction zone, wherein:
• the first solution and the second solution are added as continuous streams to the second reaction zone for a period of greater than 6 hours, and
• the first reaction zone and the second reaction zone have a temperature from 0° C. to −90° C.