Catalysts for Copolymerizations

A process for producing an ethylene copolymer, the process comprising:

• polymerizing ethylene and an optional comonomer selected from the group consisting of C3-C22 alpha-olefin, C4-C40 conjugated diene, C5-C20 cyclic olefin, C6-C60 metal hydrocarbenyl transfer agent, and combinations thereof by introducing the ethylene, a chain transfer agent, and the optional comonomer with a catalyst system to form the ethylene copolymer, wherein the catalyst system comprises a compound represented by Formula (I):
• wherein:
• M is a group 3 transition metal or a lanthanide metal;
• E and E′ are each independently oxygen, sulfur, or NRA wherein RA is independently hydrogen, C1-C40 hydrocarbyl, substituted C1-C40 hydrocarbyl, or a heteroatom-containing group;
• Q is a group 14 atom, group 15 atom, or group 16 atom;
• A1QA1′ are part of a heterocyclic Lewis base containing 4 to 40 non-hydrogen atoms that links A2 to A2′ via a 3-atom bridge with Q being central atom of the 3-atom bridge;
• each of A1 and A1′ is independently carbon, nitrogen, or C(RB), wherein RB is selected from hydrogen, C1-C20 hydrocarbyl, substituted C1-C20 hydrocarbyl, or heteroatom containing hydrocarbyl;
• is a divalent group containing 2 to 40 non-hydrogen atoms that links A1 to the E-bonded aryl group shown in Formula (I) via a 2-atom bridge, and A3 and A2 are combined to form a substituted hydrocarbyl ring, an unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, a substituted heterocyclic ring, or an unsubstituted heterocyclic ring each having 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms, and wherein substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings;
• is a divalent group containing 2 to 40 non-hydrogen atoms that links A1′ to the E′-bonded aryl group shown in Formula (I) via a 2-atom bridge, and A3′ and A2′ are combined to form a substituted hydrocarbyl ring, an unsubstituted hydrocarbyl ring, a substituted heterocyclic ring, or an unsubstituted heterocyclic ring each having 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms, and wherein substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings;
• each L is independently a Lewis base;
• X is an anionic ligand;
• any two or more L groups may be joined together to form a polydentate Lewis base;
• an X group may be joined to an L group to form a monoanionic bidentate group;
• n is 1;
• m is 0, 1, or 2;
• n+m is not greater than 3;
• and
• each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R1′, R2′, R3′, and R4′ is independently hydrogen, C1-C40 hydrocarbyl, substituted C1-C40 hydrocarbyl, a heteroatom or a heteroatom-containing group, or one or more of R1 and R2, R2 and R3, R3 and R4, R1′ and R2′, R2′ and R3′, R3′ and R4′ may be joined to form one or more substituted hydrocarbyl rings, unsubstituted hydrocarbyl rings, substituted heterocyclic rings, or unsubstituted heterocyclic rings each having 5, 6, 7, or 8 ring atoms, and where substitutions on the ring can join to form additional rings;
• and
• obtaining the ethylene copolymer.