Supported ionic catalyst compositions

Abstract

This invention relates to supported metallocene catalyst compositions useful for addition reactions of prochiral .alpha.-olefins. Polymers, specifically propylene polymers, produced with this catalyst possess higher stereoregularities and consequently higher melting points compared to propylene polymers produced using previously known supported metallocene catalysts. The microstructure of the polymers obtained using the supported catalyst systems of this invention is similar to that obtained using analogous unsupported catalysts. The catalyst compositions comprise transition metal (i.e., metallocene) cations and beam comprising anionic activators in prescribed ratios on metal or metalloid oxide supports. The transition metal compound is represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein M is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum and tungsten; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are identical or different, and are one of a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkoxy group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group, a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryloxy group, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 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, or a halogen atom; 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.7 is ##STR2## --B(R.sup.11)--, --Al(R.sup.11)--, --Ge--, --Sn, --O--, --S--, --SO--, --SO.sub.2 --, --N(R.sup.11)--, --CO--, --P(R.sub.11)--, or --P(O)(R.sup.11)--; wherein: R.sup.11, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 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; M.sup.2 is silicon, germanium or tin; 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.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.10 are identical or different and have the meanings stated for R.sup.11, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 and two adjacent R.sup.10 radicals can be joined together to form a ring system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.