Stereospecific metallocene catalysts with stereolocking .alpha.-CP substituents
AssigneeMontell Technology Company BV
InventorJohn A. Ewen
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AssigneeMontell Technology Company BV
InventorJohn A. Ewen
Estimating the term…
Isospecific and/or syndiospecific catalysts and processes for the propagation of an isotactic and/or syndiotactic polymer chain derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or is a substituted vinyl compound. The catalysts comprise a stereorigid, stereodirected and stereolocked metallocene and/or metallocene cation catalysts, characterized by having .beta. stereodirecting substituents and .alpha. stereolocking substituents such that the catalysts have overall either C.sub.s or C.sub.2 (or pseudo-C.sub.s or C.sub.2) symmetry and such that the substituents define the orientation of the growing polymer chain end and resulting in tactioselectivity of successive monomer additions. Methods are also described for the preparation and use of these unique catalysts.
A metallocene catalyst for preparing syndiospecific polyolefins comprising a catalyst or catalyst precursor characterized by formula (V):
A metallocene catalyst for preparing syndiospecific polyolefins comprising a catalyst or catalyst precursor characterized by formula (VI):
A metallocene catalyst for preparing syndiospecific polyolefins comprising a catalyst or catalyst precursor characterized by formula (VII):
A metallocene catalyst or catalyst precursor for preparing syndiospecific polyolefins comprising a metallocene characterized by formula (I):
A metallocene catalyst or catalyst precursor for preparing syndiospecific polyolefins comprising a metallocene characterized by formula (I):
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Homopolymers and copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double
Component covered by group C08F4/60 containing a transition metal-carbon bond: in combination with an organoaluminium compound
Containing at least two cyclopentadienyl rings, fused or not: two cyclopentadienyl rings being mutually bridged
Monomers containing three or four carbon atoms: propene
Term ended 20 May 2014 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to unique catalysts and processes using the unique catalyst for the production of isotactic and/or syndiotactic polymers which can be prepared essentially free of defects.
More particularly, the present invention relates to production of a isotactic and/or syndiotactic polyolefin by polymerization of ethylenically saturated olefins over a metallocene catalyst or catalyst precursor having a bridged cyclopentadienyl metallocene ligand bearing .alpha. and .beta. substituents that stereodirect and stereolock the polymer chain and coordinated monomer into a specific orientation such that tactiospecific polymers are produced and that render the catalyst or catalyst precursor C.sub.2 or pseudo-C.sub.2 symmetric in the case of isospecific catalysts or catalyst precursors or C.sub.s or pseudo-C.sub.s symmetric in the case of syndiospecific catalysts or catalyst precursors.
Polyolefins can be prepared with variety of steric configurations that correspond to the manner in which each new monomer unit is added to a growing polyolefin chain. Four basic configurations are commonly recognized for polyolefins, atactic, hemi-isotactic, isotactic and syndiotactic. Of course, a given polymer may incorporate regions of each steric configuration, yet not exhibit the pure or nearly pure configuration.
The following examples illustrate various bridged cationic metallocene catalysts used in producing polypropylene in accordance with the invention.
A one liter reactor is charged with 200 mL of distilled, degassed toluene and is held at 20.degree. C. 10 mL of a 0.8M methylalumoxane (MAO) toluene solution is added to the reactor. Next, 10 mL of toluene containing 10.0 mg of rac-Me.sub.2 Si[-trimethylsilyl-cyclopentadienyl].sub.2 ZrCl.sub.2 was added to the reactor. Polymerization is initiated by adding 100 mL of propylene at 20.degree. C. The contents are stirred 30 minutes to obtain a 48% yield of a 63,000Mw isotactic polypropylene with a dsc melting point of 142.degree. C.
The same procedure as Example 1 is followed except that 10.0 mg of rac-Me.sub.2 Si[3-trimethylsilyl-2-methyl-cyclopentadienyl].sub.2 ZrCl.sub.2 is used. The polymer analyses show a much higher dsc melting point and a higher molecular weight than obtained in Example 1.