Azaborolinyl metal complexes as olefin polymerization catalysts

Abstract

Disclosed is a catalyst having the general formula where L is a ligand having the formula L′ is L, Cp, Cp*, indenyl, fluorenyl, NR2, OR, or halogen, L can be bridged to L; X is halogen, NR2, OR, or alkyl from C1 to C12, M is zirconium or hafnium, R is alkyl from C1 to C12 or aryl from C6 to C12, R1 is R, alkaryl from C6 to C12, aralkyl from C6 to C12, hydrogen, or Si(R)3, R2 is R1, halogen, COR, COOR, SOR, or SOOR, R3 is R2, OR, N(R)2, SR, or a fused ring system, Cp is cyclopentadienyl, Cp* is pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, n is 0 to 3, and LB is an optional Lewis base. Also disclosed is a method of making a poly-α-olefin comprising polymerizing an α-olefin monomer using a catalyst such as that described above where M can be titanium, zirconium, or hafnium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.