Preparation of polymers of carbon monoxide and an aliphatic alpha-olefin

Abstract

A catalyst composition comprising a) a palladium compound, b) an anion, and c) an asymmetric phosphorus bidentate ligand of the general formula R.sup.5 R.sup.6 P-Q-CHR.sup.9 -PR+7R.sup.8, wherein Q is a 1,2-ferrocenyl bridging group, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 are identical or different optionally polar substituted hydrocarbyl groups and R.sup.9 is hydrogen or an optionally polar substituted hydrocarbyl group; a process for the preparation of linear alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide with an aliphatic -olefin having at least 3 and at most 10 carbon atoms, which process comprises contacting a mixture of the monomers with a said catalyst composition; and a linear alternating copolymer of carbon monoxide with an aliphatic -olefin having at least 3 and at most 10 carbon atoms which copolymer has an isotacticity of 95% or more.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.