Diene modified polymers

A method for producing diene-modified propylene polymer, said method comprising combining in a reaction zone under suitable polymerization conditions propylene, one or more .alpha.-.omega.-dienes, and a metallocene catalyst system comprising a metallocene represented by one of the formulas:

• ##STR9## wherein:
• M.sup.1 is Zr or Hf, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are methyl or chlorine;
• and
• R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are identical or different, and are one of a halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group which may be halogenated, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group which may be halogenated, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 -arylalkyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 alkylaryl group, a C.sub.8 -C.sub.40 arylalkenyl group, a --NR.sub.2.sup.15, --SR.sup.15, --OR.sup.15, --OSiR.sub.3.sup.15 or --PR.sub.2.sup.15 radical, wherein R.sup.15 is one of a halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, or a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group;
• R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are identical or different and are a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 fluoroalkyl group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.30 aryl group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.30 fluoroaryl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxy group, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 arylalkyl group, a C.sub.8 -C.sub.40 arylalkenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 alkylaryl group, or R.sup.11 and R.sup.12, or R.sup.11 and R.sup.13, together with the atoms binding them, can form rings systems;
• R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are identical or different and have the meanings stated for R.sup.11 ;
• m and n are identical or different and are zero, 1 or 2, m plus n being zero, 1 or 2;
• and
• the radicals R.sup.10 are identical or different and have the meanings stated for R.sup.11, and R.sup.12 and two adjacent R.sup.10 radicals can be joined together to form a ring system.

A diene modified propylene polymer comprising propylene units, from about 0.00005 to about 5 mole percent .alpha.-.omega.diene units wherein the polymer is essentially gel-free and is prepared using a metallocene catalyst system comprising a metallocene represented by one of the formulas:

• ##STR10## wherein M.sup.1 is Zr or Hf, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are methyl or chlorine, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are identical or different, and are one of a halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group which may be halogenated, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group which may be halogenated, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 -arylalkyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 alkylaryl group, a C.sub.8 -C.sub.40 arylalkenyl group, a --NR.sub.2.sup.15, --SR.sup.15, --OR.sup.15, --OSiR.sub.3.sup.15 or --PR.sub.2.sup.15 radical, wherein R.sup.15 is one of a halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, or a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group;
• R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are identical or different and are a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 fluoroalkyl group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.30 aryl group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.30 fluoroaryl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxy group, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 arylalkyl group, a C.sub.8 -C.sub.40 arylalkenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.40 alkylaryl group, or R.sup.11 and R.sup.12, or R.sup.11 and R.sup.13, together with the atoms binding them, can form ring systems;
• R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are identical or different and have the meanings stated for R.sup.11 ;
• m and n are identical or different and are zero, 1 or 2, m plus n being zero, 1 or 2;
• and
• the radicals R.sup.10 are identical or different and have the meanings stated for R.sup.11, and R.sup.12 and two adjacent R.sup.10 radicals can be joined together to form a rings system.