Method of producing multimodal polyethylene using at least one group iii-based or lanthanide-based biphenylphenoxy catalyst

A polymerization process comprising:

• polymerizing ethylene and optionally one or more olefins in the presence of a catalyst system comprising at least one metal-ligand complex of formula (I), at least one group IV procatalyst, at least one additive, and optionally a Lewis acid, in a solution polymerization reactor under olefin polymerizing conditions to form an ethylene-based polymer, wherein the metal-ligand complex (precatalyst) of formula (I) has a structure according to:
• where:
• M is scandium, yttrium, or a lanthanide metal;
• each X is a ligand chosen from (C1-C40)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C40)heterohydrocarbyl, —CH2Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —Si(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —OSi(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —CH2Ge(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —Ge(RC)3-Q(ORC)Q, —P(RC)2-W(ORC)W, —P(O)(RC)2-W(ORC)W, —N(RC)2, —NH(RC), —N(Si(RC)3)2, —NRCSi(RC)3, —NHSi(RC)3, —ORC, —SRC, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, —OCF3, —S(O)RC, —S(O)2RC, —OS(O)2RC, —N═C(RC)2, —N═CH(RC), —N═CH2, —N═P(RC)3, —OC(O)RC, —C(O)ORC, —N(RC)C(O)RC, —N(RC)C(O)H, —NHC(O)RC, —C(O)N(RC)2, —C(O)NHRC, —C(O)NH2, B(RY)4, Al(RY)4, or Ga(RY)4, or a hydrogen, wherein each RC is independently a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, and each Q is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and each W is 0, 1, or 2;
• each RY is —H, (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, or halogen atom;
• k is 1 or 2;
• each T is independently Lewis Base;
• n is 0, 1, or 2, when n is 1, X and T are optionally linked, when n is 2, X and one of T are optionally linked;
• the metal-ligand complex is overall charge-neutral;
• each Z is independently chosen from —O—, —S—, —N(RN)—, or —P(RP)—, wherein the dotted line optionally defines a dative bond;
• R1 and R16 are independently selected from the group consisting of (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)—, or halogen;
• R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, and R15 are 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—, (RC)2P═N—, RCC(O)O—, RCOC(O)—, RCC(O)N(R)—, (RC)2NC(O)—, and halogen;
• provided that when M is yttrium or a lanthanide metal, R1 is not —H, phenyl or tert-butyl;
• and R16 is not —H, phenyl or tert-butyl;
• L is (C1-C40)hydrocarbylene or (C1-C40)heterohydrocarbylene;
• and
• each RC, RP, and RN in formula (I) is independently a (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl, (C1-C30)heterohydrocarbyl, or —H.