Monocyclopentadienyl titanium metal compounds for ethylene-α-olefin-copolymer production catalysts

A method for producing an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer of greater than 20 wt. % α-olefin content, comprising the steps of:

• supplying ethylene and a α-olefin to a reaction zone at a molar ratio of α-olefin to ethylene of less than 2:1 in an amount sufficient to maintain a pressure within the reaction zone of from about 0.019 to about 50,000 psia;
• introducing into contact with the ethylene and α-olefin in the reaction zone a catalyst system comprising:
• (A) a transition metal component of the formula:
• wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrocarbyl radical, each Q and Q′ is independently a halide or alkyl radical, R′ is an aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbyl radical having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms and R′ is covalently bonded to the nitrogen atom through a 1° or 2° carbon atom, L is a neutral Lewis base where “w” denotes a number from 0 to 3;
• and
• (B) an alumoxane, said catalyst system being introduced in an amount sufficient to maintain a temperature within the reaction zone of from about −100 to about 300° C.