Olefin polymerization catalyst compositions comprising group 5 transition metal compounds stabilized in their highest metal oxidation state

Abstract

The invention addresses Group 5 metal compounds suitable as polymerization catalysts characterized by comprising one Group 15 element polyanionic ancillary ligand and three single or multidentate univalent ligands comprising Group 14-16 elements bound to the Group 5 metal, but excluding cyclopentadienyl ligands. The invention Group 5 metal compounds can be generically represented by the chemical symbols (1) ›RJ!MR'.sub.3, and (2) ›(RJ)Zn(Q)!MR'.sub.2 where M is a Group 5 transition metal, preferably vanadium; J is a Group 15 heteroatom ligand covalently bound to M, preferably nitrogen; R is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, hydrocarbyl or organometalloid group covalently bound to J; each R' is, independently, a uninegative ligand, e.g., substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted linear or cyclic hydrocarbyl, silyl, hydride or substituted or unsubstituted organometalloid group; Q is a univalent single or multidentate ancillary ligand comprising at least one Group 14-16 element covalently bound to M; and, Z is an optional covalent bridging group linking R and Q, comprising at least one Group 14-16 element, n=1 when X is covalently linked to R and n=0 when Q is not covalently linked to R. Catalyst activation can be accomplished with standard metallocene catalyst activators. Olefin polymerization is exemplified.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.