Process for the preparation of ethylene-higher alpha olefin polymers (P-891)

A process for the preparation of elastomeric terpolymers of ethylene, higher alpha-olefin and non-conjugated diene selected from the group consisting of multi-ring alicyclic fused and bridged ring dienes and alkenyl, alkylidene, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkylidene norbornenes using reactors in series which comprises (1) adding to a first reactor solvent, from about 50 to 90 percent by weight of the total ethylene charge, from about 30 to 100 percent by weight of the total higher alpha-olefin charge, from about 30 to 100 percent by weight of the total Ziegler-Natta catalyst charge, from about 30 to 100 percent by weight of the total organoaluminum cocatalyst charge and non-conjugated diene, (2) partially polymerizing said ethylene, higher alpha-olefin and diene in said first reactor to form a polymer cement, (3) passing the reactor contents including said polymer cement from said first reactor to a second reactor connected in series with said first reactor, (4) adding ethylene to said second reactor along with an amount of said non-conjugated diene such that the resultant polymerized weight percent diene content of the polymer from said first reactor is at least about 10 percent greater, on a relative basis, than the resultant polymerized weight percent diene content of the polymer from the second reactor, and (5) further polymerizing said ethylene, said higher alpha-olefin and said non-conjugated diene in said second reactor.