Azaborolinyl metal complexes as olefin polymerization catalysts

A method of making a poly-.alpha.-olefin comprising polymerizing an .alpha.-olefin monomer under polymerizing conditions in the presence of:

• (A) a catalyst having the general formula ##STR11## where L is a ligand having the formula ##STR12## L' is cyclopentadienyl, pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, indenyl, fluorenyl, NR.sub.2, OR, or halogen, L' can be bridged to L, X is halogen, NR.sub.2, OR, or alkyl from C.sub.1 to C.sub.12, M is zirconium, titanium, or hafnium, R is alkyl from C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 or aryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, R.sub.1 is R, Si(R).sub.3, or R.sub.4, R.sub.4 is alkaryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, aralkyl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, or hydrogen, R.sub.2 is R, R.sub.4, halogen, COR, COOR, SOR, or SOOR, R.sub.3 is R.sub.2, Si(R).sub.3, OR, N(R).sub.2, SR, or a fused ring system, n is 0 to 3, and L.sub.B is an optional Lewis base, and
• (B) a cocatalyst of an acid salt comprising a non-nucleophilic compound containing a bulky ligand attached to a boron or aluminum atom in an amount of about 0.01 to about 1,000 moles per mole of said catalyst.

A method of making a poly-.alpha.-olefin comprising polymerizing an .alpha.-olefin monomer using a catalyst that has the general formula ##STR13## in the presence of about 0.01 to about 100,000 moles per mole of said catalyst of a co-catalyst selected from an alumoxane or an acid salt comprising a non-nucleophilic compound containing a bulky ligand attached to a boron or aluminum atom, where L is a ligand having the formula ##STR14## L' is cyclopentadienyl, pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, indenyl, fluorenyl, NR.sub.2, OR, or halogen, L' can be bridged to L, R is alkyl from C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 or aryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, R.sub.1 is R, Si(R).sub.3, or R.sub.4, R.sub.4 is alkaryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, aralkyl C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, or hydrogen, R.sub.2 is R, R.sub.4, halogen, COR, COOR, SOR, or SOOR, R.sub.3 is R.sub.2, Si(R).sub.3 OR, N(R).sub.2, SR, or a fused ring system, n is 0 to 3, and L.sub.B is an optional Lewis base.

A method of making polyethylene comprising polymerizing ethylene using a catalyst that has the general formula ##STR15## in the presence of about 0.01 to about 100,000 moles per mole of said catalyst of an organo aluminum cocatalyst, where L is a ligand having the formula ##STR16## where L' is cyclopentadienyl, pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, indenyl, or fluorenyl, X is chlorine or methyl, R.sub.1 is alkyl from C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 or aryl from C.sub.6 to C.sub.12, and R.sub.2 is t-butyl or trimethylsilyl.