Bis-phenyl-phenoxy polyolefin catalysts having two methylenetrialkylsilicon ligands on the metal for improved solubility

A catalyst system comprising a metal-ligand complex according to formula (I):

• where:
• M is a metal chosen from titanium, zirconium, or hafnium, the metal being in a formal oxidation state of +2, +3, or +4;
• each X is selected from the group consisting of —(CH2)SiRX3, each RX is independently a (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl or a (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, and at least one RX is (C2-C30)hydrocarbyl, and any two RX or all three RX are optionally covalently linked;
• each Z is independently chosen from —O—, —S—, —N(RN)—, or —P(RP)—;
• R1 and R16 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, (C1-C40)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C40)heterohydrocarbyl, —Si(RC)3, —Ge(RC)3, —P(RP)2, —N(RN)2, —ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, RCS(O)—, RCS(O)2—, —N═C(RC)2, RCC(O)O—, RCOC(O)—, RCC(O)N(R)—, (RC)2NC(O)—, halogen, radicals having formula (II), radicals having formula (III), and radicals having formula (IV):
• where each of R31-35, R41-48, and R51-59 is independently chosen from —H, (C1-C40)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C40)heterohydrocarbyl, —Si(RC)3, —Ge(RC)3, —P(RP)2, —N(RN)2, —ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, RCS(O)—, RCS(O)2—, (RC)2C═N—, RCC(O)O—, RCOC(O)—, RCC(O)N(RN)—, (RC)2NC(O)—, or halogen,
• provided that at least one of R1 or R16 is a radical having formula (II), a radical having formula (III), or a radical having formula (IV);
• each of R2-4, R5-8, R9-12, and R13-15 is independently selected from —H, (C1-C40)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C40)heterohydrocarbyl, —Si(RC)3, —Ge(RC)3, —P(RP)2, —N(RN)2—ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, RCS(O)—, RCS(O)2—, (RC)2C═N—, RCC(O)O—, RCOC(O)—, RCC(O)N(R)—, (RC)2NC(O)—, and halogen;
• L is (C2-C40)hydrocarbylene or (C2-C40)heterohydrocarbylene;
• and
• each RC, RP, and RN in formula (I) is independently a (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, or —H,
• wherein the metal-ligand complex according to formula (I) has a wt. % solubility ratio W/Y of at least 1.5, wherein W is the wt. % solubility of the metal-ligand complex of formula (I) in MCH at STP;
• wherein Y is the wt. % of a corresponding comparative metal-ligand complex of formula (Ia) in MCH at STP;
• and wherein the corresponding comparative complex has a structure according to formula (Ia):
• in which M, each Z, each R1-16, and L all are identical to corresponding groups of the metal-ligand complex according to formula (I).