Catalysts for olefin polymerization

A catalyst composition comprising:

• a) a transition metal compound with the following formula:
• wherein:
• M is chromium, vanadium;
• R, R1, R2, R3, R4 are independently an alkyl, aryl, alkaryl or arylaryl group, anyone of which has 1-20 carbon atoms;
• a is 1, 2 or 3;
• Z is an alkyl, aryl, or halogen;
• Z′ is an alkyl, aryl, or halogen;
• b is 0, 1 or 2, and c is 0, 1 or 2;
• L is an ether, furan or nitrile;
• d is 0, 1 or 2;
• and
• (Z) and (Z′) are independently an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a cyclic group, a combination of aliphatic and cyclic groups, an oxygen group, a sulfur group, a nitrogen group, a phosphorus group, an arsenic group, a carbon group, a silicon group, a germanium group, a tin group, a lead group, a boron group, an aluminum group, an inorganic group, an organometallic group, or a substituted derivative thereof, any one of which having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms;
• or a halide;
• b) a chemically-treated solid oxide comprising a solid oxide treated with an electron-withdrawing anion, wherein
• the solid oxide is silica, alumina, silica-alumina, aluminum phosphate, heteropolytungstates, titania, zirconia, magnesia, boria, zinc oxide, mixed oxides thereof, or mixtures thereof;
• and
• the electron-withdrawing anion is fluoride, chloride, bromide, phosphate, triflate, bisulfate, sulfate, or combinations thereof;
• and
• c) an organoaluminum compound with the following formula:
• Al(X5)(X6)3-n;
• wherein (X5) is a hydrocarbyl having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms;
• (X6) is alkoxide or aryloxide, any one of which having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, halide, or hydride;
• and
• n is a number from 1 to 3, inclusive.

A process to produce a catalyst composition comprising contacting a transition metal compound and an activator, wherein:

• a) the transition metal compound has the following formula:
• wherein:
• M is chromium, vanadium;
• R, R1, R2, R3, R4 are independently an alkyl, aryl, alkaryl or arylaryl group, anyone of which has 1-20 carbon atoms;
• a is 1, 2 or 3;
• Z is a monovalent anionic group;
• Z′ is a monovalent anionic group;
• b is 0, 1 or 2, and c is 0, 1 or 2;
• L is an ether, furan or nitrile;
• d is 0, 1 or 2;
• and
• b) the activator is a chemically-treated solid oxide combined with an organoaluminum compound.

A process for polymerizing olefins comprising contacting a catalyst composition with at least one type of olefin monomer, wherein the catalyst composition comprises:

• a) transition metal compound with the following formula:
• wherein:
• M is chromium, vanadium;
• R, R1, R2, R3, R4 are independently an alkyl, aryl, alkaryl or arylaryl group, anyone of which has 1-20 carbon atoms;
• a is 1, 2 or 3;
• Z is a monovalent anionic group;
• Z′ is a monovalent anionic group;
• b is 0, 1 or 2, and c is 0, 1 or 2;
• L is an ether, furan or nitrile;
• d is 0, 1 or 2;
• and
• b) the activator is a chemically-treated solid oxide combined with an organoaluminum compound.