Active non-metallocene pre-catalyst and method for tactic catalytic polymerization of alpha-olefin monomers

A method for catalytic polymerization of an alpha-olefin monomer, the method comprising the steps:

• (a) providing a diamine diphenolate catalyst having a general structure selected from the group consisting of:
• wherein each said structure 1 and said structure 2:
• each said single solid line represents a covalent bond;
• each said double solid line represents a bond having varying degrees of covalency;
• each said dashed line represents a bond having a varying degree of covalency and a varying degree of coordination;
• said M is a metal atom covalently bonded to each said O oxygen atom, and bonded with varying degrees of covalency and coordination to each said N nitrogen atom;
• said X1 and said X2 are each a univalent anionic ligand covalently bonded to said metal atom;
• said X3 is a single anionic ligand covalently bonded to said metal atom;
• said R1 and said R2 are each a univalent radical covalently bonded to a different one of said N nitrogen atoms;
• said R3 is a univalent radical covalently bonded to said C carbon atom of said —CHR3— of said (C6)1—CHR3—N— bridging unit;
• said R4 is a univalent radical covalently bonded to said C carbon atom of said —CHR4— of said —N—CHR4—(C6)2 bridging unit;
• each said R5 through R8 is a univalent radical covalently bonded to a different one of said C carbon atoms of said (C6)1 first aromatic group;
• each said R9 through R12 is a univalent radical covalently bonded to a different one of said C carbon atoms of said (C6)2 second aromatic group;
• and
• said Y is a divalent radical covalently bonded to and bridging between both of said N nitrogen atoms;
• (b) preparing a first chemical entity featuring a particular form of said catalyst of Step (a);
• (c) forming a catalytic polymerization reaction system for the catalytic polymerization of the alpha-olefin monomer by mixing said first chemical entity featuring said catalyst with the alpha-olefin monomer to be polymerized, whereby said catalyst effects the catalytic polymerization of the alpha-olefin monomer for producing at least one type of poly(alpha-olefin) product;
• (d) terminating the catalytic polymerization of the alpha-olefin monomer;
• and
• (e) isolating said at least one type of said poly(alpha-olefin) product.

The method of claim 76, wherein said general ligand precursor is selected from the group consisting of ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine],

• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-dimethyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine],
• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-dibenzylethylenediamine],
• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-diethylethylenediamine],
• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(4,5-dimethyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine],
• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-dimethyl-1,3-propane-diamine],
• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-ethylenediamine], and
• ligand precursor [N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-1,3-propane-diamine].

A method for isotactic and living catalytic polymerization of 1-hexene monomer for forming isotactic poly(1-hexene) product, the method comprising the steps:

• (a) providing diamine diphenolate pre-catalyst [{N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2 hydroxophenylmethyl)-N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine}zirconium dibenzyl];
• (b) preparing a first chemical entity featuring said diamine diphenolate pre-catalyst of Step (a);
• (c) providing boron Lewis acid co-catalyst [B(C6F5)3] suitable for activating said pre-catalyst of Step (a);
• (d) preparing a second chemical entity featuring said boron Lewis acid co-catalyst of Step (c);
• (e) forming an isotactic and living catalytic polymerization reaction system for the isotactic and living catalytic polymerization of the 1-hexene monomer by mixing said first chemical entity featuring said pre-catalyst with said second chemical entity featuring said co-catalyst with the 1-hexene monomer to be polymerized, whereby said co-catalyst activates said pre-catalyst for becoming a catalyst effecting the isotactic and living catalytic polymerization of the 1-hexene monomer for producing the isotactic poly(1-hexene) product;
• (f) terminating the catalytic polymerization of the 1-hexene monomer;
• and
• (g) isolating the isotactic poly(1-hexene) product.