Process for hydrogenation of conjugated diene polymers and catalyst compositions suitable for use therein

Abstract

The invention provides a catalyst composition for hydrogenation of polymers containing ethylenical unsaturation which comprises at least: (a) a titanium compound of the formula ##STR1## (I) wherein A.sub.1 represents an optionally substituted indenyl group of the formula ##STR2## wherein substituents R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be the same or different and each may be selected from halogen, phenyl which optionally may bear one or more the same or different substituents, lower alkyl, alkoxy, phenoxy, phenylalkoxy, benzyl, and a bulky substituent containing one or more hetero atoms such as tri (loweralkyl)silyl, --NPh.sub.2, --NHPh, --BPh.sub.2, and --B(OPh).sub.2, wherein n may be an integer of from 0 to 4 and m may be an integer of from 0 to 3, (II)wherein A.sub.2 has the same meaning as A.sub.1 or alternatively represents an optionally substituted cyclopentadienyl group, and wherein L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 may be the same or different and each may be selected from hydrogen, halogen and preferred chlorine, lower alkyl, phenyl, aralkyl having from 7 to 10 carbons, a lower alkoxy group, phenyloxy, phenylalkoxy group having from 7 to 10 carbon atoms, carboxyl, carbonyl, a B-diketone coordination, a --CH.sub.2 P(Phenyl).sub.2, --CH.sub.2 Si(lower alkyl).sub.3 or --P(phenyl).sub.2 group; and (b) an alkali metal hydride, added as such or prepared in situ in the polymer solution from the alkali metal terminated living polymer and/or from additionally added alkali metal alkyl. The invention also concerns a process for hydrogenation of polymers containing ethylenical unsaturation using this catalyst.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.