Polymerization catalyst and method

An olefin polymerization and copolymerization catalyst active in the presence of an alkyl aluminum cocatalyst, prepared by the consecutive steps of:

• (a) fluoridating particles of silica or alumina having active surface hydroxyl or oxide groups with a fluorine compound with simultaneous or subsequent heating between 50.degree. C. and 700.degree. C. as required to complete the reaction and expel the by-products and provide less than about 2.times.10.sup.-4 g of chemically bonded fluorine per square meter of particle surface area;
• (b) reacting said particles of (a) in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent with a compound or complex of the general formula (MgR.sub.2).sub.m (AlR.sub.3 ').sub.n or MgR.sub.2 wherein R and R' are alkyl groups and m/n is between about 0.5 and 10, inclusive, to form a reaction mixture of said solvent and a first reaction product insoluble in said solvent;
• and
• (c) reacting said first reaction product of (b) in said reaction mixture with a halogen-containing transition metal compound to form a second reaction product, said transition metal compound being selected from the group consisting of Tr(OR").sub.a X.sub.4-a and TrOX.sub.3, wherein Tr is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, vanadium, and zirconium, R" is an alkyl group (of about 1-20 carbon atoms, X is a halogen atom, and a is zero or an integer less than 4.

The method of preparing an olefin polymerization and copolymerization catalyst active in the presence of an alkyl aluminum cocatalyst comprising the consecutive steps of:

• (a) fluoridating particles of silica or alumina having active surface hydroxyl or oxide groups with a fluorine compound with simultaneous or subsequent heating between 50.degree. C. and 700.degree. C. as required to complete the reaction and expel the by-products and provide less than about 2.times.10.sup.-4 g of chemically bonded fluorine per square meter of particle surface area;
• (b) reacting said particles of (a) in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent with a compound or complex of the general formula (MgR.sub.2).sub.m (AlR.sub.3 ').sub.n or MgR.sub.2 wherein R and R' are alkyl groups and m/n is between about 0.5 and 10, inclusive, to form a reaction mixture of said solvent and a first reaction product insoluble in said solvent;
• and
• (c) reacting said first reaction product of (b) in said reaction mixture with a halogen-containing transition metal compound to form a second reaction product, said transition metal compound being selected from the group consisting of Tr(OR").sub.a X.sub.4-a and TrOX.sub.3, wherein Tr is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, vanadium, and zirconium, R" is an alkyl group of about 1-20 carbon atoms, X is a halogen atom, and a is zero or an integer less than 4.