Cationic metallocene catalysts based on triphenylcarbenium aluminum

Claim 2

The process of Claim 1 further comprising incorporating a trialkylaluminum in contact with said neutral metallocene to cause alkylation of the metallocene in conjunction with ionization of said neutral metallocene.

Claim 3

The process of Claim 1, wherein said neutral metallocene comprises a stereorigid metallocene characterized by a metallocene ligand having two sterically similar or dissimilar ring structures joined to a coordinating transition metal atom, each of said ring structures being a hydrocarbyl substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl group and in a stereorigid relationship relative to said coordinating transition metal atom to prevent rotation of said ring structure about said metal atom.

Claim 4

The process of Claim 3, wherein said neutral metallocene is characterized by a structural bridge extending between said similar or dissimilar ring structures.

Claim 5

The process of Claim 4, wherein said neutral metallocene comprises a first cyclopentadienyl ring structure which is substituted with a hydrocarbyl group or unsubstituted and a second cyclopentadienyl ring structure which is substituted with a hydrocarbyl group and which is sterically different from said first cyclopentadienyl ring structure.

Claim 6

The method of Claim 5, wherein the transition metal of said neutral metallocene is a Group IV or Group V metal from the Periodic Table of Elements.

Claim 7

The method of Claim 6, wherein said transition metal is titanium, zirconium or hafnium.

Claim 8

In a process for making a cationic metallocene catalyst, the steps comprising: (a) providing a neutral metallocene characterized by the formula: (Cp') (Cp'') MQ k wherein: Cp' and Cp'' are each a cyclopentadienyl or a hydrocarbyl substituted cyclopentadienyl group and are the same or different, M is a Group 4, 5, or 6 metal, Q is a hydride, a halogen, or a hydrocarbyl radical, each Q being the same or different, except only one Q is a hydride and k is from 2 to 3; (b) providing a triphenylcarbenium aluminum ionizing agent which does not contain an active proton and is characterized by the formula: [Ph₃C] [AlR'''₄] wherein: Ph is a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group, R''' is an alkyl, a hydride, a halogen, an alkoxy, aryloxy, a hydrocarbyl radical, an aryl group or substituted aryl group, each R''' being the same or different, except only one R''' is a hydride; (c) contacting said neutral metallocene and said triphenylcarbenium aluminum ionizing agent under conditions to cause ionization of said neutral metallocene by said triphenylcarbenium aluminum ionizing agent to form an ion pair comprising a metallocene cation having catalytic activity in olefin polymerization and an AlR'''₄ anion, which is not coordinated or is only loosely coordinated to the metallocene cation and, is chemically unreactive with the metallocene cation.

Claim 9

The process of Claim 8 further comprising incor porating a trialkylaluminum in contact with said neutral metallocene to cause alkylation of the metallocene in conjunction with ionization of said neutral metallocene.

Claim 10

A process as recited in Claim 8, wherein M is a Group IV metal chosen from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium and hafnium.

Claim 11

A process as recited in Claim 10, wherein M is hafnium,

Claim 12

A process as recited in Claim 10, wherein M is zirconium.

Claim 13

A process as recited in Claim 12, wherein Q is a a hydride or hydrocarbyl radical.

Claim 14

A process as recited in Claim 13, wherein R''' is a pentafluorophenyl group.

Claim 15

The method of Claim 8, wherein the ion pair produced in step (c) is characterized by the formula: [(Cp') (Cp'') MQ L ]⁺[AlR'''₄]⁻ wherein: C p ', Cp'' Q, and R''' are as defined in claim 8; L is 1 or 2, and the [AlR'''₄]⁻ anion is not coordinated or is only loosely coordinated with the metallocene cation and is chemically unreactive therewith.

Claim 16

A process for the polymerization of alpha olefins, comprising: (a) providing a cationic metallocene catalyst prepared by the reaction of a neutral metallocene ligand and triphenylcarbenium aluminum ionizing agent and characterized by the formula: [(Cp') (Cp'') MQ L ]⁺ [AlR'''₄]⁻ wherein: C p ' and Cp'' are each a cyclopentadienyl or a hydrocarbyl substituted cyclopentadienyl group, each Cp' and Cp'' being the same or different, M is a Group 4, 5, or 6 metal, Q is a hydride, a halogen or a hydrocarbyl radical, each Q being the same or different, except only one Q is A hydride and, L is 1 or 2; wherein: R''' is an alkyl, a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group, each R' being the same or different; (b) contacting said catalyst in a polymerization reaction with an alpha olefin under polymerization conditions to produce polymerization of said alpha olefin.

Claim 17

A process as recited in Claim 16, wherein M is a Group IV metal chosen from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium.

Claim 18

A process as recited in Claim 17, wherein M is zir- conium.

Claim 19

A process as recited in Claim 18, wherein the alpha olefin is propylene.

Claim 20

A metallocene catalyst, comprising: [(Cp') (Cp'') MQ L ]⁺ [AlR'''₄]⁻ wherein: Cp' and Cp'' are each a cyclopentadienyl or a hydrocarbyl substituted cyclopentadienyl group and are the same or different, M is a Group 4, 5, or 6 Metal, Q is a hydride, or a hydrocarbyl radical, each Q being the same or different, except only one Q is a hydride, L is 1 or 2; R''' is an alkyl, a hydride, a halogen, an alkoxy, aryloxy, a hydrocarbyl radical, an aryl group or substituted aryl group, each R''' being the same or different, except only one R''' is a hydride.

Claim 21

A catalyst as recited in Claim 20, wherein M is a Group IV metal chosen from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium.

Claim 22

A catalyst as recited in Claim 21, wherein R''' is a phenyl or substituted phenyl group.

Claim 23

A catalyst as recited in Claim 22, wherein R''' is pentafluorophenyl group.

Claim 24

A catalyst as recited in Claim 20, wherein M is zirconium.

Claim 25

A catalyst as recited in Claim 22, wherein Q is a alkyl group.

Claim 26

A catalyst as recited in Claim 25, wherein R''' is a pentafluorophenyl group.

Claim 27

A catalyst as recited in Claim 26, wherein L is 1.

Claim 28

In a process for the polymerization of alpha olefins comprising contacting the metallocene catalyst of Claim 27 with an alpha olefin under polymerization conditions.