Attenuated post-metallocene catalysts

A method of making an attenuated post-metallocene catalyst (“attenuated-light-off post-metallocene catalyst”), the method comprising combining a faster-light-off catalyst with an effective amount of a kinetics modifier compound (“KMC”) of formula (A1), (B1), or (C1):

• R5—C≡C—R6 (A1), (R5)2C═C═C(R6)2 (B1), or (R5)(R7)C═C(R6)(R7) (C1) under effective reaction conditions to give an attenuated-light-off post-metallocene catalyst that exhibits an attenuated light-off monomer uptake profile;
• wherein the faster-light-off catalyst has been made by activating a post-metallocene precatalyst of structural formula (I):
• wherein in formula (A1), (B1), or (C1) each of R5 and R6 independently is H or R7;
• and each R7 independently is a (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, —C(═O)—O-(unsubstituted C1-C20)hydrocarbyl), a (C1-C19)heterohydrocarbyl, or a tri((C1-C20)hydrocarbyl)silyl, or two R7 are taken together to form a (C3-C6)alkylene;
• with the proviso that each R7 lacks a carbon-carbon double bond;
• wherein each (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl independently is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 4 substituent groups RS;
• wherein each substituent group RS is independently selected from halogen, unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl, —C≡CH, —OH, (C1-C5)alkoxy, —C(═O)-(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl), —NH2, —N(H)(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl), —N(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl)2, —COOH, —C(═O)—NH2, —C(═O)—N(H)(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl), —C(═O)—N(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl)2, —S-(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl), —S(═O)2-(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl), —S(═O)2—NH2, —S(═O)2—N(H)(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl), —S(═O)2—N(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl)2, —C(═)S-(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl) and —COO(unsubstituted (C1-C5)alkyl);
• and wherein M is Ti, Zr, or Hf;
• each of R1 to R4 independently is H or CH3;
• each RH independently is a (C1-C20)alkyl;
• and X is independently a monodentate group independently selected from a halogen atom, ((C1-C20)alkyl)3-g-(phenyl)gSi— wherein subscript g is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• CH3, a (C2-C20)alkyl-CH2, a (C6-C12)aryl-((C0-C10)alkylene)-CH2, a (C1-C6)alkyl-substituted (C6-C12)aryl, a (C1-C6)alkoxy-substituted (C6-C12)aryl, a (C1-C6)alkoxy-substituted benzyl, and a (C1-C6)alkyl-substituted benzyl;
• or one X is a 4-(C1-C20)alkyl-substituted 1,3-butadiene molecule and each of the remaining X, if any, independently is the monodentate group X;
• with the proviso that at least one X is a (C7-C20)aralkyl.