1,3-diethers and components and catalysts for the polymerization of olefins, containing said diethers

A process for the synthesis of diethers of formula (I)

• where A, B, C and D are carbon atoms or heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S and Si;
• v, x and y are 0 or 1;
• u and z are 0 or 1 or 2;
• provided that when u=0:
• i) A, B and C are carbon atoms and v, x and y are equal to 1;
• or
• ii) A is a nitrogen atom, B and C are carbon atoms, v is equal to 0 and x and y are equal to 1;
• or
• iii) A and B are nitrogen atoms, C is a carbon atom, v and x are equal to 0 and y is equal to 1;
• or
• iv) A and B are carbon atoms, C is a nitrogen atom, v and x are equal to 1 and y is equal to 0;
• when u=1:
• 1) A, B, C and D are carbon atoms, v, x and y are equal to 1 and z is equal to 2;
• or
• 2) A and B are carbon atoms, C is a nitrogen atom, D is an oxygen atom, v and x are equal to 1, y and z are equal to 0;
• or
• 3) A, B and C are carbon atoms, D is an oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or silicon atom, v, x and y are equal to 1 and z is equal to 0 when D is an oxygen or sulfur atom, equal to 1 when D is a nitrogen atom, and equal to 2 when D is a silicon atom;
• when u=2:
• A, B and C are carbon atoms, D represents two carbon atoms bonded to each other by a single or double bond, v, x and y are equal to 1 and z is equal to 1 when the couple of carbon atoms D is bonded by a double bond, and equal to 2 when said couple is bonded by a single bond;
• radicals R and RI, equal or different, are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen;
• halogens;
• C1–C20 alkyl radicals, linear or branched;
• C3–C20 cycloalkyl, C6–C2C aryl, C7–C20 alkaryl and C7–C20 aralkyl radicals;
• the RII radicals, equal or different, are selected from the group consisting of C1–C20 radicals, linear or branched;
• C3–C20 cycloalkyl, C6–C20 aryl, C7–C20 alkaryl and C7–C20 aralkyl radicals, and two or more of the R radicals can be bonded to each other to form condensed cyclic structures, saturated or unsaturated, optionally substituted with RIII radicals selected from the group consisting of halogens;
• C1–C20 alkyl radicals, linear or branched;
• C3–C20 cycloalkyl, C6–C20 aryl, C7–C20 alkaryl and C7–C20 aralkyl radicals;
• said radicals from R to RIII optionally containing one or more heteroatoms as substitutes for carbon or hydrogen atoms, or both, said process comprising:
• a) mixing a diol of general formula (IX)
• where A, B, C and D, v, x, y, u and z, and the radicals R and RI are as defined for general formula (I), with a compound or a mixture of compounds selected from the compounds of general formulae R6X (V), or general formula R11X (VI), where X is Cl, a mixture of compounds selected from the compounds of general formulae R6X (V), or general formula R11X (VI), where X is Cl, Br, I, CH3SO3, C6H5—SO3, or p-CH3—C6H4—SO3, or of general formula (R6)2SOn (VII), or of general formula (R11)2SOn (VIII), wherein R6 and R11, equal or different, are selected from the group consisting of C1–C20 alkyl radicals, linear or branched;
• C3–C20 cycloalkyl, C6–C20 aryl, C7–C20 alkaryl and C7–C20 aralkyl radicals;
• and n is 3 or 4, in a solvent which is basically nonreactive toward the reagents;
• and then
• b) adding a base which is substantially inert towards the compounds of general formula (V) to (VIII), and is capable of forming the alcoholated derivative of the corresponding diol (IX) under the reaction conditions.