Complexes of pyridyldiimines with vanadium and other transition metals, and their use as olefin oligomerization and polymerization catalysts

A metal-ligand complex having one of the following structures:

• 10
• wherein:
• R1-R22 are independently selected from halogen;
• nitrile;
• straight or branched chain alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or alkaryl moieties or combinations thereof, any of which optionally include substituent or linking heteroatoms of halogen, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, phosphorus, or sulfur;
• M is a metal selected from Group 4b, 5b, and 6b transition metals;
• X is an anion;
• and
• n is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

A composition comprising:

• a. a metal-ligand complex having one of the following structures:
• 11
• wherein:
• R1-R22 are independently selected from halogen;
• nitrile;
• straight or branched chain alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or alkaryl moieties or combinations thereof, any of which optionally include substituent or linking heteroatoms of halogen, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, phosphorus, or sulfur;
• M is a metal selected from Group 4b, 5b, and 6b transition metals;
• X is an anion;
• and
• n is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6;
• and
• b. an amount of a methylaluminoxane effective to activate said metal-ligand complex for use as an olefin oligomerization or polymerization catalyst.

An oligomerization process comprising contacting under oligomerization conditions in a reaction zone:

• a. at least one olefin;
• and
• b. at least one catalyst having one of the following structures:
• 12
• wherein:
• R1-R22 are independently selected from halogen;
• nitrile;
• straight or branced chain alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or alkaryl moieties or combinations thereof, any of which optionally include substituent or linking heteroatoms of halogen, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, phosphorus, or sulfur;
• M is a metal selected from Group 4b, 5b, and 6b transition metals;
• X is an anion;
• and
• n is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

A polymerization process comprising:

• contacting under polymerizing conditions in a reaction zone:
• a. at least one olefin;
• and
• b. at least one catalyst having one of the following structures:
• 13
• wherein:
• R1-R22 are independently selected from halogen;
• nitrile or isonitrile;
• cyanate or isocyanate;
• straight or branched chain alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or alkaryl moieties or combinations thereof, any of which optionally include substituent or linking heteroatoms of halogen, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, phosphorus, or sulfur;
• M is a metal selected from Group 4b, 5b, and 6b transition metals,
• X is an anion;
• and
• n is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.