Metal complex compounds

A process for preparing a monocyclopentadienyl or substituted monocyclopentadienyl metal complex containing compound useful as an olefin polymerization catalyst corresponding to the formula:

• CpMX.sub.n.sup.+ A.sup.-
• wherein:
• Cp is a single .eta..sup.5 -cyclopentadienyl or .eta..sup.5 -hydrocarbyl substituted cyclopentadienyl group optionally covalently bonded to M through a substituent;
• M is a metal of Group 3-10 or the Lanthanide Series of the Periodic Table bound in an .eta..sup.5 bonding mode to the cyclopentadienyl or substituted cyclopentadienyl group;
• X each occurrence independently is selected from the group consisting of hydride, halo, alkyl, aryl, silyl, germyl, aryloxy, alkoxy, amide, siloxy, neutral Lewis base ligands and combinations thereof having up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms, and optionally one X together with Cp forms a metallocycle with M;
• n is one or two depending on the valence of M;
• and
• A is a noncoordinating, compatible anion of a Bronsted acid salt,
• the steps of the process comprising:
• a) contacting a first component corresponding to the formula CpMX.sub.n+1 wherein Cp, M, X and n are as above defined with a second component corresponding to the formula [L--H].sup.+ [A].sup.- wherein L is a neutral Lewis base and A is as previously defined, and
• b) recovering the resulting product.