Solution process for production of functionalized polyolefins

A process for solution copolymerization to obtain a functionalized polyolefin comprising at least the following steps:

• a) a copolymerization step of copolymerizing at least one olefin monomer and at least one protected functionalized olefin monomer in the presence of a catalyst system, wherein the olefin monomer is represented by CHR1=CHR2, wherein R1 and R2 are each independently chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the protected functionalized olefin monomer is a reaction product of a functionalized olefin monomer and a protecting agent during a protection step and the functionalized olefin monomer is represented by the structure according to Formula (I):
• wherein R3, R4, and R5 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and hydrocarbyl with 1 to 16 carbon atoms,
• wherein R6—[X—(R7)n]m is a polar functional group containing m heteroatom-containing functionalities X—(R7)n, in which m is an integer between 1 and 10, X is an atom or group of atom selected from the list —O—, —S—, CO2—, an —N— and, n is an integer of 1 or 2 wherein
• when n is 1, X is selected from —O—, —S— or —CO2— and R7 is H, or
• when n is 2, X is N and at least one R7 is H and the other R7 is selected from the group consisting of H and a hydrocarbyl group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms,
• wherein R6 is either —C(R8)(R9)— or a plurality of —C(R8)(R9)— groups, wherein R8 and R9 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H or hydrocarbyl with 1 to 16 carbon atoms and R6 comprises 1 to 10 carbon atoms,
• wherein X is attached to either the main chain and/or side chain of R6,
• wherein R4 and R6 may together form a ring structure that is functionalized with one or multiple X—(R7)n,
• and wherein the catalyst system comprises:
• metal-bis-phenolate based ligand complexes used in this invention can be characterized by the general formula:
• wherein
• each of R14 to R25 may individually be a moiety selected from hydrogen, an aryl 5 moiety, an aryl moiety, a halogen, an alkyl or aryl moiety with halogen substituent(s), an alkoxy moiety, a siloxy moiety, or a nitrogen-containing moiety, wherein each R moiety may optionally form a ring structure with an adjacent R moiety;
• each of A1 and A2 may individually be a moiety selected from:
• an element of Group 16 of the periodic system;
• and
• a moiety containing an element of Group 15 of the periodic system;
• T is a divalent hydrocarbyl moiety;
• D is a substituted element of Group 15 or Group 16 of the periodic system;
• Y is an element selected from Group 15 of the periodic system;
• M is a transition metal;
• X is a sigma-bonded ligand;
• and n is the amount of X ligands bonded to X,
• a co-catalyst selected from the group:
• MAO, DMAO, MMAO, SMAO or ammonium salts or trityl salts of fluorinated tetraarylborates, and
• optionally, a chain transfer agent selected from the group:
• dihydrogen or AlR103, BR103 or ZnR102, where each R10 is independently selected from hydrogen or hydrocarbyl,
• b) a deprotection step where the product obtained by step a) is treated with water or a Brønsted acid or base solution, capable to abstract the residue derived from the protecting agent from the protected functionalized olefin copolymer to obtain the functionalized polyolefin.