Supported catalyst systems containing a silocon bridged, anthracenyl substituted bis-biphenyl-phenoxy organometallic compound for making polyethylene and polyethylene copolymer resins in a gas phase polymerization reactor

A method for producing a supported activated metal-ligand catalyst, the method comprising:

• contacting one or more support materials and one or more activators with a metal-ligand complex in an inert hydrocarbon solvent to produce the supported activated metal-ligand catalyst, wherein the metal-ligand complex has a structure according to formula (Ib):
• wherein:
• A− is an anion;
• M is titanium, zirconium, or hafnium;
• n is 1, 2, or 3;
• each X is a monodentate ligand independently chosen from (C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C50)heterohydrocarbyl, (C6-C50)aryl, (C4-C50)heteroaryl, halogen, —N(RN)2, N(RN)CORC, —OR, —OPh, —OAr and —H;
• each Z is independently chosen from —O—, —S—, (C6-C50)aryl, (C2-C50)heteroaryl, N(C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, N(C1-C50)aryl, P(C1-C50)aryl, and P(C1-C50)hydrocarbyl;
• R9 and R10 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R11 and R12 are independently chosen from halogen, (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R1-R8 are each independently (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R13 and R14 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R15 and R16 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R17 and R18 are both:
• (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl,
• or —H, where R19-23 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• and
• Each R, RC and RN are independently chosen from —H, (C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, and (C1-C50)heterohydrocarbyl.

A process for producing a polyethylene or a polyethylene copolymer resin in a gas phase polymerization reactor comprising:

• contacting ethylene and, optionally, one or more (C3-C12)α-olefin comonomers with a supported activated metal-ligand catalyst in a gas-phase polymerization reactor, wherein the supported activated metal-ligand catalyst comprises a metal-ligand complex disposed on one or more support materials and one or more activators;
• wherein the metal-ligand complex has a structure according to formula (Ib):
• wherein:
• A− is an anion;
• M is titanium, zirconium, or hafnium;
• n is 1, 2, or 3;
• each X is a monodentate ligand independently chosen from (C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C50)heterohydrocarbyl, (C6-C50)aryl, (C4-C50)heteroaryl, halogen, —N(RN)2, N(RN)CORC, —OR, —OPh, —OAr and —H;
• each Z is independently chosen from —O—, —S—, (C6-C50)aryl, (C2-C50)heteroaryl, N(C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, N(C1-C50)aryl, P(C1-C50)aryl, and P(C1-C50)hydrocarbyl;
• R9 and R10 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R11 and R12 are independently chosen from halogen, (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R1-R8 are each independently (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R13 and R14 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R15 and R16 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• R17 and R18 are both:
• (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl,
• or —H, where R19-23 are independently chosen from (C1-C20)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C20)heterohydrocarbyl and —H;
• and
• Each R, RC and RN are independently chosen from —H, (C1-C50)hydrocarbyl, and (C1-C50)heterohydrocarbyl.