Catalytic composition and its preparation and use for preparing polymers from ethylenically unsaturated monomers

A catalytic composition comprising a neutral metal-pair complex, comprising a first metal atom, M1, and a second metal atom, M2, having a through-space internuclear distance of at least 1.5 Angstroms and no more than 20 Angstroms;

• wherein said neutral metal-pair complex is according to formula I,
• wherein:
• L1 is a set of first ligands;
• L2 is a set of second ligands;
• L3 is a set of bridging moieties;
• R1 is a set of first anionic hydrocarbyl containing radicals;
• R2 is a set of second anionic hydrocarbyl containing radicals;
• S1 is a set of first labile ligands;
• S2 is a set of second labile ligands;
• A1-A8 are sets of coordination bonds;
• a, b, h, k, m, and p are selected from 0 and 1;
• c equals 1;
• 1≦m+p≦2;
• the sum d +f+r+t=4, 5, or 6;
• and the sum e +g+s+u=4, 5, or 6;
• wherein at least one of R1 and R2 is an addition polymer selected from Poly[(polar olefin)-(non-polar olefin)] and a poly(polar olefin):
• with the proviso that
• (i) when the sum d+f+r+t=4,
• M1 is selected from nickel, palladium, copper, iron, cobalt, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• d, r, and t are selected from 0, 1, 2, and 3;
• and f is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• and
• when the sum e+g+s+u=4, M2 is selected from nickel, palladium, copper, iron, cobalt, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, and 3;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• 0≦d+e≦5;
• 1≦r+s≦5;
• 0≦t+u≦5;
• 2≦f+g≦7, and,when m+p=2, R1 and R2 are different;
• when the sum e+g+s+u=5, M2 is selected from iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• 0≦d+e≦6;
• 1≦r+s≦6;
• 0≦t+u≦6 and 2≦f+g≦8;
• or
• when the sum e+g+s+u=6, M2 is selected from copper, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6;
• 0≦d+e≦7;
• 1≦r+s≦7;
• 0≦t+u≦7;
• and 2≦f+g9;
• (ii) when the sum d+f+r+t=5;
• M1 is selected from iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• d, r, and t are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• f is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• and
• when the sum e+g+s+u=4, M2 is selected from nickel, palladium, copper, iron, cobalt, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, and 3;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• 0≦d+e≦6;
• 1≦r+s≦6;
• 0≦t+u≦6;
• and 2≦f+g≦8;
• when the sum e+g+s+u=5, M2 is selected from iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0,1,2,3, and 4;
• g is selected from 1,2,3,4, and 5;
• 0≦d+e≦7;
• 1≦r+s≦7;
• 0≦t+u≦7;
• and 2≦f+g≦9;
• or
• when the sum e+g+s+u=6, M2 is selected from copper, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6;
• 0≦d+e≦8;
• 1≦r+s≦8;
• 0≦t+u≦8;
• and 2≦f+g≦10 and
• (iii) when the sum d+f+r+t=6;
• M1 is selected from copper, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• d, r, and t are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• f is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6;
• and
• when the sum e+g+s+u=4, M2 is selected from nickel, palladium, copper, iron, cobalt, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, and 3;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• 0≦d+e≦7;
• 1≦r+s≦7;
• 0≦t+u≦7;
• and 2≦f+g≦9;
• when the sum e+g+s+u=5, M2 is selected from iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• 0≦d+e≦8;
• 1≦r+s≦8;
• 0≦t+u≦8;
• and 2≦f+g≦10;
• or
• when the sum e+g+s+u=6, M2 is selected from copper, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese;
• e, s, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• g is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6;
• 0d+e≦9;
• 1≦r+s≦9;
• 0≦t+u≦9;
• and 2≦f+g≦11.